


You Are My Soulmate Remember?

by A_Suga_Cookie



Category: NCT (Band), NCT 127 - Fandom, NCT Dream, WAYV
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety Attacks, Childhood Friends, Crying, Eventual Smut, Friends to Lovers, Hospitals, I AM SO SORRY FOR THIS :(, I Don't Even Know, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I will try to update whenever I can!, Implied Sexual Content, Kun is always moving, M/M, Mentioned NCT 127 Ensemble, Mentioned NCT Dream Ensemble, Mentioned WayV Ensemble, Mild Language, Moon Taeil is Whipped, My First AO3 Post, My First Fanfic, Not Beta Read, OT21 (NCT), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Qian Kun is Whipped, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Soulmates, Temporary Amnesia, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, irregular updates since aon is in school :(, kunil
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:22:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 45,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24926110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Suga_Cookie/pseuds/A_Suga_Cookie
Summary: “Hi, I’m Moon Taeil. You can call me Taeil hyung if you want to” Taeil introduces softly, almost like he read Kun’s mind. Kun cocked his head to the side like a lost puppy.“T-Taiyi G-Ge?”Moments of silences passed by when Kun suddenly spoke up in a quivering voice“I’m Kunnie”He looks in his bag for a small little airplane keychain he got from the prize box. Kun liked airplanes right? He extends his arm and offers the keychain as he smiles.“Nice to meet you, Kunnie. Let’s be friends!”Or Kun and Taeil were best friends until a huge accident, causing Taeil to have temporary Amnesia. They swore they would get married and always be soulmates forever.  Now 10 years later, they meet up in university but Taeil remembers everyone but Kun."Hi I am Moon Taeil, who are you? Have we met before?"Kun can't help but wonder "Why can't he remember me?" as he fidgets with the airplane key chain on his keys.
Relationships: Dong Si Cheng | WinWin/Nakamoto Yuta, Huang Ren Jun/Liu Yang Yang, Jeon Jungkook/Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun, Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung/Lee Taeyong, Kim Jungwoo/Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas, Moon Taeil/Qian Kun, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 30
Kudos: 49





	1. Prologue: Cafuné

Cafuné

(n.) running your fingers through the hair of someone you love. 

Kun’s tiny fingers fiddled with the lever as he lowered the car’s window. The gentle, sweet-smelling yet humid Summer breeze of Seoul brushed against his soft, unruly, chocolate brown fringe as he sighs and rests his cheek against the frame of the door. The unknown blurry buildings and road signs, the seat belt barely holding him in place as they go over numerous speed bumps and rough roads, and the old 1970 Chinese melodies his parents played every time were all too familiar to Kun. 

He was moving once again. A new city, a new house, and new people. His dad was a well-respected consultant. Once a project was over, it was onto the next. 

And the next 

And the next 

And the next 

There seemed to be no limit to the “next” as they packed the little things they owned into their tiny minivan, strolled through the halls of their now empty house one last time, running their hands through the painted walls, and drove away onto the next destination, never looking back at their past memories. 

CTL, ALT, PASTE, process repeats. 

Kun’s little arms wrap around the cardboard labeled “Kunnie’s stuff” as he stands in the middle of his new room. Baby blue walls surround him as he feels the cream carpet tickle his toes. Little stars and planets littered his ceiling as he clutched his airplane plushies. He looks at the tiny window above the barre bed frame, showing the Cherry Blossom tree at the front of the house. 

Kun smiles as he watches the little petals rhythmically dance through the wind, memorized and filled with childish joy as each petal fells. 

“Kunnie Bear!” 

Kun turns his head to the source of the voice and sets the box down against the bed frame.

“Yes, Mama?”

“Time for lunch honey”

“Coming!” 

He looks one more time in his new room. “Maybe this time will be different.” he couldn't help but think as he turns away, his little feet padding against the wooden floors as he heads toward the kitchen. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Kun’s legs quiver and his heart beats erratically against his chest as he stands before a class of curious stares.

He knows this scene all too well. This was the worst part of moving so much. He was always the kid who “transferred mid-school year”. He never had true friends because when he finally makes a new friend, he always has to move and eventually loses contact with them. All he knows how to say is “Hello” and “Goodbye” to the people he meets in his life. It always ends with him having another uniform to add to his collection he has worn and burying the memories he made at that school. 

A warm hand gently squeezes his shoulder. Kun jumped as he looked up with a startled look, only to see his teacher warming looking down at him, smiling encouragingly at him. 

“Kun, would you like to introduce yourself to the class,” she asked him softly. 

He gulps as he looks down at his feet. “H-Hello. My name is Q-Q-Qian Kun. I am 9 years o-old. I am from Fujian and I-I moved from Busan. P-P-Please treat me well” he finished shyly as he kept his gaze down toward the ground. 

His teacher claps for him and the rest of the class mirrors her as they welcome Kun to the classroom. 

“Welcome to Dream Elementary Kun. We are excited to have you here! Why don’t you have a seat at any available desk you want?” the teacher said as she pointed at one of the empty desks. 

Kun nodded quietly as he picked up his airplane-patterned backpack and sat at the nearest empty desk, trying to make himself as small as possible behind his slightly overgrown bangs and large glasses. 

The teacher continued with the lesson about the different constellations and galaxies. Kun couldn’t focus though. Mainly because of nerves and also, he felt like someone was staring at him. Curiosity overtook him as he peeked over his shoulder discreetly, hoping to meet his “admirer”. He scanned the room until he met with a pair of lynx-like dark brown eyes from across the room boring into his chocolate, doe orbs. The owner of those mysterious eyes quickly turned away and hid behind a mop of black hair, a hint of blush evident on his face. 

Kun flushed as he looked back at the textbook staring mockingly at him.

“Who is he?” Kun wondered as he rested his chin against his arm, droning in and out of the lesson, pondering about the mysterious eyes that were staring at him earlier. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Kun was eating the lunch that his mother made when someone took his lunchbox and threw it off the table. Startled, he looks up to see three buff kids towering over him. “Look who we have here? The new kid dressed in rags.” One of them says as he grabs Kun by the arm. “P-Please let go of me,” Kun said weakly as he struggled to remove his arm from the bully’s strong grip. The gaze of the bully darkened as he threw Kun off the bench. A whimper left Kun’s throat as he felt his back slam against the cold cafeteria floor. “What a coward. You don’t belong here. Go back to the cardboard box you came from” the bully spat as they began to hit and kick him, hurling insults at him. Kun curls up in a ball and over his head as tears burn in his eyes. He felt one of them aggressively remove his jacket and grab his wallet. No matter how much Kun begged them to stop, all they do is kick harder, spit even more derogatory insults, and shut his mouth with their hands. 

The bell rang and a rush of students started to head out of the cafeteria. “Hey man, we gotta go,” said one of the bullies to the one who was holding Kun’s collar. He nodded and threw Kun with force, causing Kun to slump against the bench. The bully grabs Kun’s chin, forcing him to look at him. “You are worth nothing” the bully spitted one last time as he lets go and walked away with Kun’s wallet. Finally when the cafeteria was empty, Kun put his weight against the bench and struggled to get up. Everything hurt so badly, he could barely stand. He hisses as a sharp pain radiates through his abdomen and can already see bruises appearing. Silent tears pooled in his eyes as he picked up his stuff and limps out of the cafeteria. So much for a “new beginning,” Kun thought as he began to feel his pockets. 

Right, they took his wallet that had his money for the bus ride back home. 

The tears pooling at his eyes finally falls against his face as he swallows a sob, trying not to make any noises in the now empty hallways. It’s only his first day here and he has already become a target for bullying. What did he do wrong? Why do they hate him so much? Kun wipes his eyes, but the tears just didn’t want to stop. In the midst of his wallowing, he didn’t realize that there was a pair of lynx-like, dark brown eyes looking at him behind the pillar. By the time Kun looked up with his watering eyes, the mysterious eyes were long gone. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~ ✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

This went on for two weeks. Arrive at school, be bullied and thrown against the ground, cry alone in the bathroom stall, walk home by himself, ignore his parents concerned looks over his bruises and dried tear tracks. Repeat. No one ever came to his rescue. Never

It was just one of those days yet again. Kun was sitting in the corner library working on his homework when he felt a hand grasping the base of his neck harshly. Dread fills him even before he turns around. “Don’t even move a muscle”, whispered the bully. Kun embraced for the hit when it never came. Instead, he heard cursing and screaming. Kun quickly looked up and gasped as he hid under the table. In front of him was a short boy with ruffled black hair and round glasses on top of his bullies, his face contorted with anger as he pulled Kun’s bullies hair. 

“GET AWAY FROM HIM” yelled the unknown boy as the bullies try to continue to hit him. 

“LET GO OF ME IDIOT, THAT LOSER DESERVE NOTH-” the bully started to say before a fist came in contact with his face. The bully screeched as he held his now bleeding nose. 

“DON’T TALK ABOUT HIM LIKE THAT. GET OUT BEFORE I REPORT YOU” screamed the unknown boy as he held one of the bullies by the collar. A fear of look reflects on the bully’s face as he tries to stare down the unknown boy but fails. Finally, after 10 minutes of heavy silence, endless staring and unspoken conversation, one of the bullies spoke up and said “Let's get out of here” as he shoved the unknown boy. “He is just as big of a loser as that coward is,” said the other. Before the unknown boy can throw another punch, all three of the bullies scrambled out of the library. 

Breathing heavily, the unknown boy turns and crouches to look at the other hidden boy under the desk.  
“He’s pretty”, the unknown boy thought as he offered his hand and looked at the boy with a gentle smile. 

Kun, who was still shocked by the whole fight in front of him, hesitated and looked from his hand to his eyes. 

Wait, it's those dark brown, lynx-like eyes who was staring at him on the first day. Kun widened his eyes but before he could say anything, a warm hand grasped his hand and pulled him from under the table. 

“Did they hurt you?” asked the unknown boy. 

Suddenly all the emotions that Kun has felt from the past 2 weeks hit him and couldn’t stop the prickling in his eyes. Before he knew it, he started crying heavily and felt himself being pulled into a hug. He felt so safe in the arms of this unknown boy, strongly holding him, unlike the arms that choked him when he refused to give his wallet. He sobbed and heaved against the chest of his savior, gripping tighter to the back of his savior’s shirt. 

“Shhh, it's okay. Don’t cry. They won’t hurt you anymore” said the unknown savior as he tried to comfort the sobbing boy in his arms. 

After several minutes of saying comforting words and hugging the slightly smaller boy, they pull apart. Even with a red splotchy face, puffed up eyes, and dry tear tracks, the unknown stranger couldn’t help to think how cute Kun looked. Kun’s doe-like eyes meet his lynx-like eyes. Who was this gege who saved him?

“Hi, I’m Moon Taeil. You can call me Taeil hyung if you want to” Taeil introduces softly, almost like he read Kun’s mind. Kun cocked his head to the side like a lost puppy. 

“T-Taiyi H-Hyung?”

Taeil looks confused and then giggles as he looks at the now pouting boy. He forgot for a moment that the boy was from China. “You can call me Taiyi-Ge if you want to as well”. He reassured him as he held the young Chinese boy’s hand with his. 

Moments of silences passed by when Kun suddenly spoke up in a quivering voice

“I’m Kunnie”

He said it so quietly that Taeil almost missed it. He nods. Even though he knew Kun’s name from class, Kunnie was a cute name too. He looks in his bag for a small little airplane keychain he got from the prize box. Kun liked airplanes right? He extends his arm and offers the keychain as he smiles.

“Nice to meet you, Kunnie. Let’s be friends!” 

The slightly younger blushes as he nods and holds onto his new friend’s arm with the keychain dangling between his fingers. 

“Okay, Taiyi Ge”. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

“GEGE MY HAIR, BE GENTLE” shrieked Kun as he felt Taeil’s fingers brush against a knot in his hair. “Sorry Kunnie” teased Taeil as he tugs a bit harder. Kun shot up and slapped Taeil’s arm. “GEGEEEEEEEE” whines Kun as Taeil clutched his stomach from laughing hard. “Okay, Okay I'm sorry Kunnie. I’m just teasing, lay down, I promise to be gentle”. Kun huffs as he lays down in Taeil’s lap. They were sitting under a cherry blossom tree in front of a tiny pond. The Seoul summer breeze kisses them as the clear water of the pond ripples. Taeil weaved little Cherry blossom petals into Kun’s wavy brown hair as Kun lazily told Taeil about the little Siamese cat he found near his house. 

“Taiyi Ge, if we get married, we should get a Siamese cat and name it Louis” said Kun as he looks into Taeil’s eyes. Taeil smirks “Who said I want to marry you Kunnie?” mocked Taeil as Kun pouts and scrunches his nose. “GEGE YOU ARE SO MEAN. WHY WOULD SAY THA-” Kun complains until he felt a pair of soft and delicate lips on his. It was a quick peck. It was kinda off aim and childish. But it felt so right. Kun blushes as he looks up at Taeil. “I was joking, Kunnie. When we are old enough, let's have a wedding near this cherry blossom tree. You are like my soulmate” said a flustered Taeil as he hides his blushing behind the petals in his hands. Kun smiles as he tackles Taeil into a hug. Their laughter filled the air as they entangled themselves in each other's arms. 

“Gege is blushing~”

“No, I’m not Kunnie!”

“Yes, you were. Aww~ my tiny gege is so embarrassed~”

“I AM NOT TINY KUN!”

“Yes you are, Taiyi Ge!”

“Fine, then we aren’t naming our cat Louis.”

“TAIYI GE!”

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Kun and Taeil laughed arm and arm as they crossed the street.

“Ge, Can we go get ice cream?” 

“Sure let’s g- KUN WATCH OUT”

Taeil yelled as he saw a car driving uncontrollably and was heading toward Kun. He pushes Kun as hard as he can away from the car and only heard the honking of the car before he felt immense pain and himself getting hit by the car. Kun starred in horror as time felt like it slowed down. There was blood trickling from Taeil’s head and stained his silky black hair. His heart reaches the bottom of his stomach as he runs toward him desperately tries to wake up Taeil. 

“TAIYI GE WAKE UP” screeched Kun over and over again, hysterically sobbing as he shakes Taeil’s body over and over again, Taeil's blood staining Kun's shirt and fingers. But he didn't care. All he wants is his Taiyi Ge to be okay. Why isn’t he opening his eyes? 

The rest seemed like a flash. Taeil was rushed to the hospital and Kun sobbed and sobbed the whole way to and back from the hospital that day. He would read stories to Taeil and sing Taeil's favorite songs, and just talk to Taeil about his day and how much he misses him. There was never response from Taeil but Kun didn't care. He just wants Taeil to wake up. Suddenly his parents were packing and shoving everything into their car. Kun didn’t want to leave. He didn't get to say goodbye to Taeil. He wants to stay with Taeil. It is his fault his gege is in the hospital. What about their promise? NO LEAVE ME ALONE, TAEIL PLEASE NO. Kun bangs the window of the car, was held in place by his parents as they fastened his seatbelt, screamed until his voice went raw, yelled Taeil’s name over and over again and cried hysterically until he was forced into unconsciousness, falling against the seat of the rustic car with the airplane keychain resting in his hands, tear tracks apparent on his face. 

He dreamed of a kind face with dark brown, lynx-like eyes smiling at him that night. 

“Taiyi-Gege. You are my soulmate”


	2. Chapter 1: Selcouth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hi, I’m Moon Taeil. You can call me Taeil hyung if you want to” Taeil introduces softly, almost like he read Kun’s mind. Kun cocked his head to the side like a lost puppy.
> 
> “T-Taiyi G-Ge?”
> 
> Moments of silences passed by when Kun suddenly spoke up in a quivering voice
> 
> “I’m Kunnie”
> 
> He looks in his bag for a small little airplane keychain he got from the prize box. Kun liked airplanes right? He extends his arm and offers the keychain as he smiles.
> 
> “Nice to meet you, Kunnie. Let’s be friends!”
> 
> Or Kun and Taeil were best friends until a huge accident, causing Taeil to have temporary Amnesia. They swore they would get married and always be soulmates forever. Now 10 years later, they meet up in university but Taeil remembers everyone but Kun.
> 
> "Hi I am Moon Taeil, who are you? Have we met before?"
> 
> Kun can't help but wonder "Why can't he remember me?" as he fidgets with the airplane key chain on his keys.

Selcouth 

(adj.) unfamiliar, rare, and strange, and yet marvelous.

“KUN GE! THE WATER ISN’T TURNING HOT!”

“DID YOU TURN THE KNOB TO THE RIGHT?”

“ OH…..NO I DIDN’T. THANK YOU GEGE~”

Kun shakes his head fondly and sighs as he slumps back in his chair, staring at his music theory textbook. Scattered around the desk were his new textbooks, his course schedule, and his keys. His eyes wander to the little keychain attached to them. It was a little airplane with a broken wing and now fading paint. He smiles bitterly at the object as if it was mocking him. 

It has been 10 years since he last saw Taeil. When he moved, he lost all contact with Taeil. He couldn’t even find him on social media. It was like Taeil disappeared and never made the attempt to look for Kun. Has Taeil forgotten him after so many years? Kun always wondered what he looked like now. Was he the same short gege with messy black hair with his big glasses? The gege who pulled the hair of his bullies and punched them for making Kun’s life a living hell? The same gege who promised to marry him under the Cherry Blossom tree near the pond? 

Nostalgia painfully waved over Kun as he circles the thumb around the broken wing of the airplane keychain. He struggles to swallow the large lump in his throat that was forming. He just couldn’t forget his kind, dark brown, lynx-life eyes. 

Kun was so deep in his thoughts that he didn’t realize that his roommate got out for the shower and was currently standing right behind him

“Kun Ge? What are you doing?” asked his roommate.

Startled, Kun screamed and fell out of his chair, his hip painfully hitting the dorm floor. 

“SICHENG DON’T SCARE ME LIKE THAT! WHAT THE FUC-!”

Sicheng giggles as he smoothly dodges the pillow that Kun angrily threw at his head. Damn dancer and their agility.

“Sorry Ge, you just seemed so deep in thought. What were you thinking about?” said Sicheng lightly as he helped Kun off the floor and picked up the pillows. Kun straightens his clothes out and widens his eyes at Sicheng’s statement as he frantically tries to dismiss the conservation. He doesn’t want to worry the younger about his past troubles,

“N-N-Nothing Sichengie! I was just thinking about…..w-what I want for dinner?”

Sicheng looks at him unimpressed and deadpanned. Kun’s ears turn bright red as he turns around to busy himself with the stack of papers on his desk. God Damn it. Kun was never good at lying. Especially to Sicheng. 

“Kun-Ge it’s 8:45 in the morning. Come on, it's important if you look like a sad puppy who lost his bone” chastise Sicheng as he takes out the papers from Kun’s hands and turns around to face him. Kun looks everywhere else but Sicheng

“Kun Ge, look me in the eye, please. I knew you for almost 5 years. You can trust me with whatever. What’s wrong?” Sicheng asks with a soft tone and no mockery. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Kun and Sicheng became friends when they were freshmen in high school. They had Geometry and History class together. Their friendship started in a library, much like how Taeil and Kun’s did. Sicheng would help Kun with history and Kun would help him with geometry in the library every day and walk home together every day. They soon became best friends. They were there for each other from thick and thin. Kun was there when Sicheng broke up with his high school boyfriend and spent the weekend crying on Man's shoulder and downing mounts of ice cream together. Sicheng was there when Kun won first in a huge music competition he spent months preparing before and supported him backstage when Kun performed his piece. When they both found out that they both accepted to NCT College of Performing Arts, to say they were ecstatic was an understatement. Fast forward, they are now freshmen in college, Kun majoring in Applied Music and Sicheng majoring in Chinese Dance, getting ready to start the new mark of their journey. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

“I’m okay Sichengie~ I promise!” Kun smiles warmly at Sicheng as he squeezes his hands. He hates when he unnecessarily worries his best friend. He already has to worry about the first day of college and his workload.  
“Alright Ge but this conservation isn’t over,” said Sicheng disapprovingly as he sighs and flops down on the chair Kun was sitting on prior. 

“Anyway, what were you saying before?”, Kun said, quickly switching the topic as he sits on his bed and rests his head against the pillow Sicheng got for him for his 18th birthday. 

“I was asking if it is okay if Yukhei and Jungwoo come over and hang out for a bit and if you have a 9 am class?” said Sicheng. 

“Yeah Yukhei and Jungwoo can come over and I do have a 9 am class,” Kun said as he plays with the threads of the pillow. Sicheng looks at him in shock with his mouth slightly open. Kun giggles at him as he hugs the pillow a bit tighter. 

“Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?” Kun teases Sicheng as the younger looks at his phone and back at Kun at a loss of words. 

“Gege”, Sicheng said carefully, not sure how to approach this. “Check your phone”. 

“Why Sichengie~?”

“Gege please for your love of all things that have wings, CHECK YOUR PHONE”

“Alright, alright I will check, slow your roll Sicheng”.

Kun exclaims as he checks the time on his phone, the wallpaper of him and Sicheng posing with a Pikachu statue reflecting off of his glasses

“It’s only 8:56 AM Sichengie. Why did you as-”

Wait

It is 8:56 AM

He has a musicology class at 9 am which happens to be on the other side of campus. 

Shit. 

“FUCK” yells Kun as he jumps off his bed and trip over his blanket as he scrambles to gather his stuff. Sicheng watches in amusement as Kun runs around their little dorm shoving on whatever article of clothing is closest to him and shoving his textbooks in his backpack haphazardly. 

“WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME!” Kun wails frantically as he zips up his bag feverishly, trying to shove everything to make room for one last textbook. 

“I DID GEGE!” yelled Sicheng as he sips on his iced coffee and snickers at Kun’s attempt to put on his pants and tremendously fail. 

Kun grabs his keys and wallet and runs out the door, yelling bye to Sicheng over his shoulder. He didn’t even notice Yukhei and his boyfriend, Jungwoo cheerfully waving at him and then looking at him in pure confusion. Kun sprints out of the resident halls and stepping foot onto the asphalt, frantically checking the time on his phone. 

“Wait, which building is my class in again? What happened to the map I had in the bag?” Kun wonders as he drops his bag to the ground and rushes through it, coming to no avail. Then it hits him like a truck. 

The map was still in his dorm room.

*sighs*

“SON OF A BITC-”

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

After multiple minutes of running, many wrong directions, and 3 near mental breakdowns, a friendly senior pointed him to the right building. He thanks her and scans his university ID against the scanner until the light turns greens. He rips open the door and runs up the treacherous 3 flights of stairs to finally arrive at his 9 am class. Panting, legs wobbling from running and sweating heavily with his bangs sticking to his forehead, he opens his door, only to get the attention of the entire class and his professor. Great. 

“Mr. Qian, I see you have finally decided to join us”, said the professor in a disappointed manner, tapping his walking stick against his leg. 

Kun blushes darkly as he tries to catch his breath to make somewhat coherent sentences. 

“I-I g-g-got lost, s-sorry” breathes out Kun as he clutches his side tiredly and rushes toward the nearest seat, tripping over his own feet. 

The professor shakes his head. “Now that Mr. Qian decided to make a very flashy entrance and highly entertain us, let us continue with the lesson”. Kun’s ears turn bright red for the 3rd time today and pants as he takes out his textbooks and notebook, trying and failing to slow down his heart beating fiercely against his chest. 

The lesson continued as the professor drones on and on. Kun rubs his face as he rests his head on his arms. God, it's only the first day, why do they have so much work to do already? Suddenly, a hand tapped on him extending toward him offering a water bottle. Kun turned to see who it was and he froze as he felt his heart drop to his stomach. The man had dark brown eyes and lynx-like eyes. He had an undercut and his hair was the color of Kun’s eyes and his moon piercings twinkled against the lecture room lights. He had a warm smile on his soft lips with his bracelets hitting lightly against the water bottle. It was so familiar, rare, and strange, and yet so marvelous.

“You seem tired. Here, I have a spare one in my bag” said Taeil quietly, pushing the bottle forward. 

He found him after 10 years. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

“T-Taiyi Ge?” whispered Kun, in shock as he widens his eyes and grips the desk, trying to grasp the situation. 

“Do we know each other? Have we met each other before?” asked Taeil as he tilted his head, his glasses sliding slightly down his nose. 

That statement hit him hard and he couldn’t move as he felt everything around his shatter into a million pieces. Taeil doesn’t remember him. Maybe it's a mistake. Kun knew he changed a lot but not to the point of nonrecognition. Yes, he got a few piercings, lost his baby fat, and dyed his hair but that is really it. Kun is no longer the shy boy from Dream Elementary who got bullied every day and saved by the person in front of him but he is still the same soft-spoken and warm-hearted Kun. Taeil looks even more handsome than Kun remembered him from 10 years ago. He was wearing a large baby lavender sweater and his jawline very apparent and his brown hair kissed against the rim of the glasses. Kun desperately looked at him, hoping he would remember him and jump in joy when he realized that this was his Kunnie from 10 years ago. But he didn’t. He doesn't even know his name. 

“Okay….this is weird. Let us start from the beginning” Taeil says awkwardly as he puts the water bottle on his desk. “ I’m Moon Taeil. I am a freshman and I am currently majoring in Music Psychology. It is nice to meet you” Taeil says. 

Kun tries to swallow the lump and blink away the tell-tale tears in his eyes as he sighs shakingly. “I am Qian Kun. I am also a freshman and I am majoring in Applied Music. N-Nice to meet you as well”, he says as he winces when he feels his voice crack. How come he doesn’t remember him???

Taeil smiled politely and said “Looks like we will have a lot of classes together. I look forward to getting to know you more”. Taeil turns around his side to Kun and focuses back on the lecture, not realizing that Kun was still staring at him in shock. Kun felt numb and sick. He doesn’t remember him. He is just a stranger to Taeil. What about their promise? Did he just lose his soulmate after 10 years of searching for him? Just like this? The tears burned his eyes as he discreetly tried to wipe them and not break down right there and then. He has to get out of here. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

The bell rang and Kun shot out of his seat, shoved everything into his bag haphazardly rushed out of the classroom, forgetting about the water bottle. He didn’t even bother to close his bag. He walked out as quickly as possible of the lecture hall. He felt the airplane keychain chain hit against his fingers. He took it off his key ring angrily, raise his arm and threw it harshly against the ground, watching it break into multiple pieces, ignoring the stare of his other classmates. 

“KUN!” he heard Taeil yell, trying to get his attention. But Kun didn’t even want to turn back.

It hurt him even more and his heart clenched as he started to run as fast as possible back to his dorm. The tears in his eyes blinded him and he swallowed the sobs begging to erupt from him. He is now hearing Taeil’s voice and he doesn’t even know how he is. He felt like how he felt 10 years when he left Taeil in that hospital bed. He grasps his chest and breathes heavily as he dials the password to his dorm and stumbles in. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Sicheng was on the phone with someone when he heard the door opening and smiled. He straightens up happily knowing it was Kun.

“Hey, I will call you back later. Gege is back! No I am not trying to get rid of you silly. God so dramatic hehe~ Bye baby~”, Sicheng chirped as he ended the call and called out “Hey Gege~ How was class?”. Sicheng's smile slipped quickly as he looked at Kun and his heart dropped. Kun’s face was blotchy red and he was crying almost hysterically. His eyes were lined red and he looked so heart-broken. Oh my god, what the hell happened? 

“Kun Ge”, started Sicheng in concern as Kun looked at him and lost it. Kun crumbles and drops on his knees and sobs loudly into his hands. Sicheng panics and jumps off his bed, throws his phone to the side, and rushes to Kun. He felt Kun cry and wail into his jacket, feeling it get wet from his tears. He rocks him back and forth as they both sink against the door, whispering sweet nothings in Chinese and rubbing his back. Kun thumps his fist weakly against Sicheng’s back as he continues to sob violently against him, struggling to keep himself composed. Sicheng has never seen Kun like this. His sweet, soft, calm, gege who is always smiling and always cheering people up was now a sobbing mess on the floor, hyperventilating, clutching his heart and screaming like he was in immense pain

“Gege, What happened? Who did this to you? Did someone hurt you?”, rambled Sicheng, sick with concern as he tries to wipe Kun’s cascading tears and runs his fingers through Kun's hair. Kun just cries harder as he gasps for air against Sicheng’s chest. All he could hear was Taeil’s words cutting into his heart. He felt minutes away from losing the little bit of hope he has left. He wants it to stop. This is all just big nightmare

“He doesn’t even know who I am Sicheng”.


	3. Chapter 2: Serendipity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hi, I’m Moon Taeil. You can call me Taeil hyung if you want to” Taeil introduces softly, almost like he read Kun’s mind. Kun cocked his head to the side like a lost puppy.
> 
> “T-Taiyi G-Ge?”
> 
> Moments of silences passed by when Kun suddenly spoke up in a quivering voice
> 
> “I’m Kunnie”
> 
> He looks in his bag for a small little airplane keychain he got from the prize box. Kun liked airplanes right? He extends his arm and offers the keychain as he smiles.
> 
> “Nice to meet you, Kunnie. Let’s be friends!”
> 
> Or Kun and Taeil were best friends until a huge accident, causing Taeil to have temporary Amnesia. They swore they would get married and always be soulmates forever. Now 10 years later, they meet up in university but Taeil remembers everyone but Kun.
> 
> "Hi I am Moon Taeil, who are you? Have we met before?"
> 
> Kun can't help but wonder "Why can't he remember me?" as he fidgets with the airplane key chain on his keys.

Serendipity

(n.) finding something good without looking for it

“KUN!” yelled Taeil as he tried to chase after him but Kun just kept walking without stopping. He huffs as he holds his head, feeling a headache forming as he hits his back against the brick pillar and slid down it, feeling the rough wall scratch him slightly. He looks down at the broken pieces of what seemed like a very damaged airplane key chain in his palm.

The wheels were almost unrecognizable, there were various places where the paint was peeling, and the metal part of the key chain was rustic. The logo was unreadable and part of the tail was chipped off. Taeil notices some handwriting at the bottom. As he inspected it, he realized that it was in Mandarin and he was able to distinguish the 3 words with his limited Mandarin. 

“Let’s be friends!” 

Taeil sighs and tilts his head against the brick pillar. He noticed that Kun dropped the key chain and assumed that it was important. He picked up the pieces and tried to run after him to tell him he dropped his key chain but Kun just kept walking. Maybe Kun didn’t hear him? Why does he care so much? 

“Why the hell is he even chasing after a stranger he just met?” Taeil scoffed at himself as he tiredly closed his eyes, sinking slowly into the pillar.

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

But just as he closed his eyes, he heard someone call his name. 

“TAEIL HYUNGIE~”

Taeil turns his head to see who it was. Two boys were heading toward him. Well more like RUNNING toward him. One of them has flame-red hair and a little rose-shaped scar near his right eye and little tattoos that looked like doodles. The other one looked like a bunny with his silky, straight black hair with a gummy smile as he tries to catch up with the redhead. 

“TAEYONG HYUNG! SLOW DOWN, YOU GOING TO GET HURT!” yells Doyoung as he sees Taeyong trip slightly over a few rocks. Ah, classic Doyoung. Nagging over his friends and his slightly older boyfriend. 

“Some things never change”, Taeil thinks fondly as he gets up and braces himself for the redhead. He is infamous for his big bear hugs that can take out a whole army. Taeyong runs toward Taeil and jumps into his arms, squeezing him tightly as he squeals happily to see his hyung. Taeil stumbles back and huffs as he holds onto Taeyong. God, he is getting too old for this but never gets tired of it. 

“Hyung! It’s been forever since we have seen each other!”, whines Taeyong as he bounces slightly on his toes. 

“Taeyongie hyung, We saw him this morning. Did you forget you guys are roommates ?”, deadpanned Doyoung as he finally reaches them and places a hand on Taeil’s shoulder. Taeyong scrunches his nose as he playfully slaps his boyfriend’s shoulder.  
The two start to bicker as Taeil watches in amusement.

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Taeil met Doyoung in middle school. They both were cast in the same musical together. Doyoung was struggling with his mic pack and was panicking since he was about to perform when Taeil came behind him and helped him out and calmed him down. Their friendship started at that moment. Later down the line, they met Taeyong in high school when they had Calculus together. Doyoung fell for Taeyong the minute he laid eyes on him. Taeil and their other friends spent months teasing Doyoung on his obvious crush on the now redhead and pushing him to ask him out. Finally after an awkward occasion in the janitor’s closet, they started dating and still are going strong to this very day. Fast forward to the present, they are here at NCT College of Performing Arts together, Taeyong was majoring in Dance, Doyoung in Voice, and Taeil in Music Psychology. They stuck to each other like glue through the highest and lowest times, even if it means that Taeil has to deal with being the third wheel 9/10 times. However, he wouldn’t trade them for the world. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

“Hyung, did you hear us?”, asked Taeyong as he waved his hand lightly in front of Taeil’s face. 

Taeil snaps out of his deep thought and blushes lightly as he scratches the back of his neck embarrassingly. “Sorry Doie, what did you say? I kinda zoned out a bit”.

Doyoung looks at him unimpressed and scrunches his nose annoyingly like an angry bunny. “I was asking if you are heading back to the dorms?”, he said. Taeil nods and says “Yeah I was about to head back, wanna go together?”. Doyoung and Taeyong nod enthusiastically as they gather their stuff and attach themselves on both of Taeil’s sides. Taeil shakes his head fondly as he watches his younger friends’ antics.

“Elders first~”

“I AM NOT THAT OLD!”

“Keep saying that hyung~”

“I hate you two, I hope you know that.”

“Love you too Taeil Hyung~”

The trio starts walking toward the dorms and talks about little nonsensical things about their day such as Doyoung’s musical vocal teacher who has the personality of a gremlin to the little tea shop Taeyong found down the road in front of their college. Taeil listens absentmindedly to his best friend chatter and hums in agreement here and there.

“Taeil hyungie, what’s in your hand?”, Taeyong curiously asked while pointing at Taeil’s left hand clenched around something, a piece of a metal chain poking out. 

Taeil looks down, completely forgetting about the broken airplane keychain in his hand. He simply nonchalantly shrugs and puts the pieces in the left pocket of his sweater. He could have thrown it away but he didn’t for some odd reason. 

“It’s nothing important”, Taeil says, lightly dismissing the topic. Doyoung and Taeyong look at his suspiciously but decided not to question him about it and shrug it off as they continue their walk toward their dorms. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

FLASHBACK

Kun held onto Taeil’s hands as he wobbled slightly on the skateboard, trying not to fall. It was the first day of their winter break and Taeil wanted to go to the skateboard park and offered to teach Kun how to skateboard. Kun nervously grasped Taeil’s hands tighter as he felt himself launch forward u involuntarily. 

“That’s it Kunnie, bend your knees just a bit. Don’t be nervous! I got you~” said Taeil encouragingly as he held Kun’s hand and rolled him slowly across the park. 

Kun shakingly nods as he does what he was told, feeling himself move forward and he smiles looking at Taeil. 

“Taiyi-gege, look I’m doing it!”, exclaims Kun as he grins brightly. Taeil giggles, debating if he should tease the younger or not. 

“You are going 1 mile per hour Kunnie”.

“GEGE! FINE I DON’T NEED YOUR HELP”! 

Taeil laughs loudly as he looks at an angry, pouting Kun, who resembled a kitten who didn’t get his favorite treat. He giggles as he lets go of Kun’s arms momentarily. Kun yelps as he grabs onto Taeil’s waist for support. Kun’s pout deepens as he looks at Taeil’s smile. 

“Gege, I could have died!”Kun exclaims dramatically into his gege’s stomach. 

Taeil rolls his eyes fondly. “Alright, alright. I’m sorry Kunnie~”, Taeil says as he hugs the younger. 

About an hour passed and Taeil was impressed. Kun went from not being able to even stand a skateboard to being able to guide across the park slowly without Taeil holding his hands and keeping up with Taeil by his side. Kun called out his name. “Taiyi-Ge look!”. Taeil nods as he cups his hand “GOOD JOB KUN! KEEP GOI- KUN WATCH OUT THERE’S A ROCK!”, Taeil yelled panicking as he watched Kun’s smile fall as he hit the tiny cursed pebble and fall off of his skateboard and tumble onto the hard concrete floor. 

Taeil drops his helmet as he runs toward Kun. “Kunnie? Hey! you okay?”, rambled Taeil as he kneels on the floor next to Kun. Kun whimpers as he tries to hold back his tears. His right knee was bleeding and was badly hurting. “H-H-Hurts” as he holds his bloody knee. “Oh Kunnie, it's okay. Don’t cry!”, cooed Taeil as he helped Kun get up, threw his hand around his shoulder, supporting his weight, and walked him to the nearest bench. Taeil scrambles in his backpack for the little first aid kit that his mom made him pack just in case of an emergency. He opens it up, props Kun’s knee onto his thigh as he begins to clean and bandage it. Kun winces as he helps the rubbing alcohol hit his wound and tries to discreetly hide his tears as he didn’t want to worry his gege. He wasn’t as secretive as he thought he was because when Taeil looked up, he smiled and reached toward his face to wipe off his tears. Taeil finished up and helped Kun up. 

“Why don’t we go to my place and have some hot cocoa Kunnie?”, asked Taeil gently as he held Kun’s hand. Kun blushed and shyly looked away from Taeil’s dark brown, lynx-like eyes as he twirled the little airplane keychain between fingers. “Okay gege”, said Kun quietly. Taeil cooed at how cute Kun was acting. He looked at the keychain with a smile before he got an idea. Taeil took out his phone and looked up something. Then, he looks for a sharpie in his bag and asks Kun if he can see the keychain. He turns the plane and writes “成为朋友吧!  
(let’s be friends!) at the bottom. Kun gasps and smiles at Taeil. 

“When did you learn Mandarin gege?!” 

“ I didn’t, I looked it up”. 

Their laughter fills the cold, bitter Seoul air as they clung to each other, feeling each other’s body heat. Kun thought he found something good without looking for it as he leaned and nuzzles his face into Taeil’s shoulder. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Kun slowly blinks his eyes open and stares at the ceiling light above him. Where is he? Is he in his and Sicheng’s shared dorm? How long has he been asleep? Was he just having a dream? Kun felt someone’s arms around him and turned to realize that they were at the front of the dorm’s door and he fell asleep on Sicheng’s lap. He rubs his eyes and slowly gets up, wincing as his body screams in pain. He whines as he stretches and feels his joints pop loudly. He looks at the time and gasps. He managed to fall asleep for 3 hours. Kun lifted Sicheng off the ground, and placed him gently on his bed, throwing a blanket over him. He walks into the kitchen and fills up a glass of water as he feels drained from all the crying, he doesn’t even want to know what he looks like. He turns on his phone and finds multiple messages from Lucas and Jungwoo asking if he was okay, a Snapchat notification from his cousin Yangyang, and 10 missed calls from his mother. He sends a quick message to his friends and cousin. Then, he presses on his mother’s contact and calls her. 

Kun smiles gently as he hears his mother’s familiar, nostalgic ringtone and leans against the kitchen counter. Then he hears a pause.

“Hello?” 

“Hi, mama! You called?”

“Hi, Kunnie baobei! How are you? I have been trying to call you for 3 hours!”

Kun closes his eyes as he tries to ignore the pain in his heart when he hears that nickname. He quickly composes himself as he says 

“ Sorry mama, I fell asleep and missed your calls.”

“Alright, it's no problem baobei. But Kun?

“Yes, mama?”

“Are you okay honey? You sound like you caught a cold”

Kun deeply exhales the breath he didn’t know that he was holding and grips the glass of water in his hand a bit tighter

“I’m just tired. Don’t worry, I am taking care of myself, mama”.

“Okay, Kunnie bear. I believe you. But, you can always talk to me baobei”, his mother gently said

He wasn’t sure if it was his mom’s gentle and calm reassurance or the pain of everything that was going on or if he simply missed her, his eyes prickled as he blinked away the tears.

“I will keep that in mind, thank you, mama”. 

“Of course. Oh Kunnie, mama has to go but I will call you tomorrow”  
“Alright, bye mama!”

“Bye honey, love you”.

“Love you too mama”. 

Kun hears the line cut and he lets his phone down on the counter. He rubs his eyes until he can see colors popping into his vision. God, he is so tired. It's only the first day of school.

“Kun Ge?”

Kun turns to see Sicheng looking at him with a gentle yet concerned look. Kun blushed slightly as he recalled what happened earlier. “Oh man, Sicheng probably thinks I am so weird for breaking down like that”. But he couldn’t finish his thought as he felt Sicheng barrel into his and hug him tightly. “S-Sicheng?”, Kun said in a startled tone. 

“Gege, you scared me so badly! Are you okay? Do you need anything? Who hurt you? I WILL HURT THE-”, Sicheng rambles as he raises his hands and almost hits Kun in the face, midst of his little rant. Kun chuckles as he holds Sicheng’s hands.

“Sichengie~ slow down!” 

Sicheng huffs into Kun’s chest as he looks up at him and says

“Gege, what happened?”

“It’s nothing. I just felt really anxious about the first day of school and class didn’t go too well, so I got a bit upset”, Kun lied through his teeth, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

He hates lying to Sicheng but how does he explain that he saw his soulmate from 10 years ago in his 9am musicology class that he lost contact with and he doesn’t even know who he is? But Sicheng knows him too well. Arguably even more than Taeil did. Well ONCE did at least. He felt Sicheng stare at him with and about to open his mouth to call him out on Kun's bullshit when Kun’s phone started to ring.

“This conversation isn’t over”, Sicheng mouths as Kun gulps. A serious Sicheng is a scary Sicheng and he knew was going to hear about it. 

Kun answers his phone and jumps away from the retriever as he hears a loud voice scream through the phone. Sicheng smirks at him in amusement as he watches Kun wince at the unknown yet very, VERY familiar voice and rubs his face in stress. Oh lord, give him the strength. 

“HI KUN GEGE!”

‘YANGYANG WHY ARE YOU YELLING?” 

“SORRY WHAT DID YOU SAY?”

Kun takes a deep breath to not just end the call and drive over to his cousin’s place and strangle him into oblivion if it wasn’t for Sicheng convincing him that an orange jumper would not be a hot look on him and that Yangyang could still find a way to haunt him regardless. Kun braces himself, grinds his teeth and brings the phone up to the ear. 

“Yangyang! Why in god’s name are you yelling like that for!?”

“OH, GEGE, Chenle and Hendery took the aux cord and speaker and have been blasting music for 2 hours. Wait, why did I call you?

Kun regrets buying his demonic cousin that damn speaker for his birthday. He loves his cousin and his friends to death but they are the reason Kun is going to have a full head of gray hair by 23. It is taking him everything to not slam his head into the kitchen counter.

“Yangyangie, only you would know that! Why did you call me?”

“AH, I REMEMBER! I want to ask if my most favorite cousin in the whole wide world and Sicheng gege if you want to come over for dinner? The whole gang is going to be here!”

Kun sees Sicheng’s eyes widen and straightens up at the mention of food and Kun laughs quietly. How can he say no? He sighs before he says 

“Alright Yangyang, we will be there in a bit” 

Kun hears some loud cheering in the background, following with some loud crashing. Kun and Sicheng look at each other in both amusement and concern.

“SORRY! XIAOJUN FELL DOWN THE STAIRS! AWESOME! YOU’RE COOKING!”

“WHA-”

“BYE GEGE! LOVE YOU! SEE YOU SOON!”

“DON’T YOU HANG UP YOU LITTLE SHI- HELLO?? HELLO!” 

Kun curses as he hits his phone on the counter. Sicheng laughs loudly as Kun glares at him. He whines about how unfair it is to be the oldest in their friend group and Sicheng just shrugged. Sicheng turns around to start getting ready but Kun calls out to him.  
“Wait, Sicheng!”

“Yeah gege?”, said Sicheng as he looked at Kun curiously.

“Thank you for everything you did today. I don’t deserve you, Lucas, or Jungwoo as friends. I am so sorry for worrying you. I am supposed to be the oldest brother but instead I-”, Kun said as he looked down at his feet, embarrassed to even look at Sicheng. 

Sicheng’s expression softens to one of warmth as he engulfs Kun in a hug and tucks himself into Kun’s neck, smelling his subtle cologne and lavender body wash. 

“Don’t say that gege. You deserve a lot of love. It was the least I can do. You can always talk to me when you feel comfortable and ready. No matter what, I will be here for you Kun Ge!”. 

“Thank you Sicheng”. 

Sicheng couldn't help but think "What's really wrong gege? It can't just be a "bad day" or "bad anxiety". What did you mean before? Why do you feel like you can't tell me?" 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Kun sighs loudly as he and Sicheng start to freshen up and gather some ingredients for this little impromptu dinner. These brats insisted that they wanted Kun to cook. "Maybe it's for the best", he shutters, remembering the one time he let Yangyang and Chenle into the kitchen lead him having to evacuate the whole house (GEGE I DON’T KNOW HOW WE BURNED THE KITCHEN OKAY! CHENLE SAID WE HAVE TO HEAT UP THE NOODLES! NO WE DIDN'T BOIL THEM, WE PUT THEM IN THE MICROWAVE). Never again will he make that mistake. Sicheng helped him choose some authentic Chinese recipes and carry everything they needed to his car. He was secretly glad to have a distraction from Taeil and everything going on for a bit. However, after Yangyang texted him the whole Bee Movie script, something told him that this was going to be a very long night.


	4. Chapter 3: Nelipot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hi, I’m Moon Taeil. You can call me Taeil hyung if you want to” Taeil introduces softly, almost like he read Kun’s mind. Kun cocked his head to the side like a lost puppy.
> 
> “T-Taiyi G-Ge?”
> 
> Moments of silences passed by when Kun suddenly spoke up in a quivering voice
> 
> “I’m Kunnie”
> 
> He looks in his bag for a small little airplane keychain he got from the prize box. Kun liked airplanes right? He extends his arm and offers the keychain as he smiles.
> 
> “Nice to meet you, Kunnie. Let’s be friends!”
> 
> Or Kun and Taeil were best friends until a huge accident, causing Taeil to have temporary Amnesia. They swore they would get married and always be soulmates forever. Now 10 years later, they meet up in university but Taeil remembers everyone but Kun.
> 
> "Hi I am Moon Taeil, who are you? Have we met before?"
> 
> Kun can't help but wonder "Why can't he remember me?" as he fidgets with the airplane key chain on his keys.

Nelipot

(n.) the one who walks barefoot

Kun rolls down the window as a gush of cold air tickles his face and brushes his bangs slightly out of his face. He looked outside to see the sunset cast painting of blue, pink, and purple across the sky. He looks at the blurring fields of different kinds of flowers and mounts of nature. He takes a deep breath as he relaxes in his seat. Sicheng was driving, humming, and drumming his fingers along to whatever was playing on the radio. Kun smiles softly as he closes his eyes, dozing off to Sicheng’s deep and melodic voice and the subtle buzzing of the engine of the car. 

“Kun Ge? Are you asleep?”, asked Sicheng softly. 

Kun opens his eyes and sleepily responds “Well, not anymore”. 

Sicheng rolls his eyes and he chuckles quietly as he keeps his eyes on the road ahead of him. “Sorry for waking you up gege, go back to sleep”. 

Kun looks at Sicheng. The moon was reflecting off him, illuminating his hazelnut- colored eyes and sharp features, one hand on the wheel and one resting on the center console. 

He remembers the times that he would drive Sicheng around and he was in Kun’s seat, admiring the surrounding scenes. They would often take nightly drives together, talking about anything that bothered their young minds to talk about the little interesting things in their life. A realization hit Kun felt a sudden surge of pride like a father watching his child take his first steps. Sicheng has grown up a lot. He went from hiding behind Kun, too shy to even order his own lunch to drive the elder and being his supporting pillar, keeping him from falling apart. He places his hand on top of Sicheng's warm, slightly bigger hand. 

“It’s okay Sichengie. What’s up?”, Kun said gently as he lightly grazes over the ring on Sicheng’s middle finger, 

“It can wait for gege. We can talk about it later. Go to sleep. You look really tired”, Sicheng said as he briefly looks at Kun and smiles at him and pats his hand in reassurance 

Kun nods as he slumps back and nuzzles into his seat, bringing the stray blanket he found in Sicheng’s car up to his neck. The cool air and the quiet vocals of the ballet playing through the speaker made him sleepy again. His eyelids felt heavy as he closed his eyes, succumbing to sleep. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Sicheng runs his hand through his hair as he looks at Kun’s sleeping form. He sighs as he adjusts the baby blue blanket falling off of Kun’s shoulder. He replayed to what happened earlier. He never saw Kun like that, never so vulnerable and emotional. He kept on repeating “He doesn’t remember me” over and over again until he cried himself to sleep. Sicheng pondered. 

“Who was he talking about? Was there a part of Kun’s past that he doesn't know of? Who is this person that made Kun completely break down in his arms?”. Sicheng couldn’t help but worry.

“Oh, Kun-ge. Tell me what is bothering you please”, Sicheng whispers to a sleeping Kun, who was oblivious to the world at the moment and Sicheng internal monologue. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

FLASHBACK

Taeil was sitting underneath a cherry blossom reading a novel. There was a pond where you could see through it like a mirror. Music quietly played through his headphones as he hummed along to the song. The wind blew gently and cherry blossom petals danced through the air as they got stuck in Taeil’s hair. The birds in the surrounding chirped a melody through the seemingly quiet afternoon. He put down his book and stretched his arms out, purring in satisfaction. Just as he was about to change the song on his iPod, he heard someone calling out to him. He removed his headphones and quickly got up and brushed off his pants to see who was calling him. 

“Taiyi-Gege!” 

Taeil walked toward the edge of the pond, the grass tickling his bare feet and the little fish swam without giving a care to Taeil’s internal conflict. He called out to the voice

“Hello?” 

The voice kept on calling out to him and Taeil began to get scared. Who is this? It sounded so strange but there was something so painfully nostalgic and familiar about it. 

“Gege! I can’t see you! Where are you?” 

Taeil frantically looks around for this voice but he doesn't see anyone. He breathes heavily as he tries to calm his heart. Is he hearing voices? Is he finally going insane after many nights of staying up past his bedtime? Taeil felt really scared all of a sudden. 

“W-Who are you”? 

“I’m -! Gege how can you forget me so easily?!”, 

Taeil wasn’t able to hear the name of the person. It was like someone plugged his ears the moment the voice mentioned their name. Taeil tries to swallow his fear as he asks the voice

“Where are you?”

“I am at the side of the road in front of the field. Do you want me to meet you down there?”

“Wait there! I’ll meet you there in a bit!” 

“Okay gege!” 

Taeil yelled as he started walking across the field onto the side of the road leading to the little ice cream shop that he visits often after school. He felt his bare feet burn slightly as he stepped onto the warm asphalt. He looks around to someone waving his hand enthusiastically and saying some incoherent words. The nostalgic feeling was back and stabbing in his heart. Taeil’s fear turned to curiosity as he didn't think to cross the road. He was halfway there until he heard some cursing and a car, honking coming toward his direction, not slowing down. The voice was yelling something that was drowned by the honking. The unknown figure started to run toward him but it was too late. Taeil covered his eyes from the lights and they blinded him. The car got closer and closer and finally, darkness engulfed him as he felt the car touch him. 

“TAIYI GE!” 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Taeil woke up in a sweat, panting rapidly as he looked around to see where he was. He was back in his dorm that he shared with Taeyong. He swallows and breathes rapidly as he tries to calm his heart down. He pushes his sweaty bangs out of his face and wipes his hands against his pants, trying to dry them off from the excessive sweat. He must have fallen asleep at this desk while doing some work. He sits back and groans as he runs his hands through his face in frustration. He has been having the same nightmare for the past few months now. Every time he thinks that he was close to finding out who the person was, it always ended with the same car lights and darkness. Why does he feel like he heard this voice before? Taeil huffs as he gets up and heads to the kitchen to get some water and tries to clear his head.

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Taeil sits at the kitchen table as he scrolls through his phone, completely unaware of a whining, sweaty, and pouting Taeyong coming his way. 

“HYUNGIEEEEE~!” whines Taeyong as he sits across Taeil, groaning as he haphazardly falls into a chair and throws a bag of chips on the table. 

“What’s up Taeyong?”Taeil says in amusement as he takes a sip of water and watches the redhead sink lower into his seat, his pout deepening.

“I’m so sore! I can barely move!” 

Taeil snorts into his water.

“WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING HYUNG?”, Taeyong wails as he throws a potato chip at Taeil angrily. 

Taeil snickers to himself as he looks at Taeyong and smirks. “I see that Doyoung and you had a fun time while I was asleep~”.  
Taeyong looks at him wide-eyed as he blinks a few times, registering what Taeil said. And then the realization hits him. Oh no he didn’t. Then he lunches across the table at Taeil. 

“TAEIL HYUNG NOOO! STOOOP! I HAD A 3 HOUR PRACTICE TODAY THAT WAS SUPER HARD! THAT’S IT!”, Taeyong screams. Taeil hysterically laughs and grips the table to balance himself as he tries to dodge Taeyong’s punches. Taeyong huffs as he sits back down and crosses his arms in annoyance and scrunches his eyebrows.

“So mean~”, he whines quietly. 

Taeil grins as he tries to steal some potato chips from Taeyong, only to have his arm swat at by the said owner. Taeil sulks at his failed attempt as he sits back, running his finger through the rim of the now empty glass. 

“Is Doie coming over tonight”? asked Taeil as he got up from his seat to put away his glass. 

Taeyong nods in affirmation as he busies himself with his phone, typing something in. Taeil hums as he turns on the sink and starts to wash the glass as Taeyong starts to play some music. It was a tune that he used to listen to a lot when he was in elementary school. He smiles at the nostalgic memory as he dries off the glass and puts it back on the shelf.

As Taeil bent over to close the shelf, he felt someone sharp poke at his leg and he dug his hand into his pocket. He pulls out the pieces of the broken airplane keychain and puts them on the kitchen counter. A sudden thought hits him and he turns to Taeyong. 

“Hey Yong, can I ask you something?” 

“Sure Hyung”.

“Do you have super glue and some paint?” 

Taeyong raises his eyebrows and looks at him in surprise. “Yeah I do, what do you need them for?” he asks in curiosity as he tries to see what Taeil was doing.

Taeil draws his finger around one of the broken wings, feeling the sharp, haggard ends scratch against his fingertips. He looks at Taeyong and he simply shrugs and nonchalantly says 

“I need to fix something”. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

“Do you think we have enough for everyone Sicheng?” 

“Ge, you brought enough ingredients to feed our whole college”.

Kun rolls his eyes at Sicheng as he balances the bags in his hands. They walk up to the door and Kun rings the doorbell. Finally, after 5 minutes, the door opened and Kun did not expect what was going to happen next. 

5 blurs of different colors of varying heights bolt toward Kun. Kun widened his eyes in panic as he tried to frantically protest but instead he was completely caught off guard and they collided into him. He was knocked off his feet. Quite literally. Kun feels his back collide with the ground and wheezes at the sudden weight of 5 different kinds of masses sprayed on his chest. Sicheng giggles as he looks at the scene, secretly taking a photo for later. 

“KUN GE, YOU’RE HERE!”, screams a voice next to Kun’s ear. “TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH!”, yelled another one in the other. Kun groans in response as he tries to stop the world from spinning around. He ignores the growing headache and possible concussion he may have as he looks to see 5 teenage boys in a dog pile on top of him smiling at him and 3 figures hovering over him having some kind of conservation. 

“Guys, I think he’s sleeping”. 

“No way Sicheng ge, I bet he’s meditating”.

“I think you are both wrong. He’s dead”. 

“TEN GE! WHO GONNA COOK FOR US THEN?!”

“I can cook for us Xuxi”. 

“NEVERMIND, BRING KUN ALIVE! I DON’T TRUST SICHENG IN THE KITCHEN”!

“OKAY, I AM NOT THAT BAD AT COOKING!” 

Kun clears his throat as he looks at them unimpressed, feeling himself getting more and more winded and annoyed by the weight on his chest. 

“HE IS ALIVE. THANK GOD! KUN-GE, SICHENG WAS ABOUT TO CO-”

“CAN YOU THREE IDIOTS STOP BICKERING FOR ONCE AND HELP GET THESE OVERGROWN BABIES OFF OF ME PLEASE?!?!”. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

“I can’t believe my own cousin ignored me and went straight to Kun-Ge”, grumbled Sicheng as he washes the vegetables. Sicheng, Ten, Xuxi, and Kun crammed themselves into the little kitchen and started making dinner while the other younger 5 run off to do god knows what. 

“Maybe Renjun doesn’t love you as much as he loves Kun”, Ten teases as he dodges the carrot thrown at him by the now annoyed younger. 

“Don’t worry Sicheng gege! I still love you”, yells Xuxi as he waves the knife around in excitement, dangerously close to Kun’s head. 

“XUXI, DROP THE KNIFE. DROP THE KNIFE RIGHT NOW YOU GIGANTIC TITAN...NO NOT ON GEGE’S HEAD”!

Kun sighs and shakes his head fondly as he listens to the conversation and chaos that was ensuing next to them as he continues to marinate the chicken in front of him. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

All 9 of the boys attended the same high school together and met in Chinese club. Kun was the president of the club and Sicheng was the vice president at the time   
and was getting ready for their first meeting of the year. Kun was pacing back and forth out of nerves and Sicheng tried to calm him down. 

“Sicheng what happens if nobody shows up?”

“Kun ge! Stop pacing! You are gonna burn a hole in the floor at this rate”

“Oh my god, this meeting is going to be a flop!”

“Kun ge, don’t be ridiculous. You know that is not true!”

“Oh my god Sicheng, maybe we should just cance-”

“KUN GE!” 

After multiple minutes later, Sicheng managed to calm Kun down and have him sit down in a chair as they waited for their members to arrive. Sicheng puts his hand on Kun’s trembling shoulder, rubbing comforting circles on his back. 

“Don’t worry gege! It's going to be fine! I bet they are going to be great-”

Sicheng was interrupted by a rush of boys barging into the classroom, tumbling over each other. It was quiet for a minute until all chaos broke loose. They are trying to yell over each other and start arguing over something that to this day they have no idea what it. In the midst of it all, Sicheng was able to decipher one thing. 

“IS THIS THE CHINESE CLUB?” 

Sicheng was left speechless as he looked at the scene in front of him. He nervously turns to see Kun’s reaction. Kun’s right eye was twitching and he looked like he was between screaming and running out of there or passing out on the spot. Sicheng gulps as he turns back to see the boys are now chasing each other in the room. 

shit

This was going to be a long year. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Despite their rather loud, chaotic, and stressful introduction, The boys grew on Kun. 

Yangyang and Kun are cousins and have grown up together, despite being so far apart from each other. Kun remembers the stories of how a baby Yangyang would follow his Kun gege around like a baby duck everywhere and copy everything he did. He still does. Yangyang respected Kun more than anyone in the world. Kun and he would spend hours on facetime and calls and just talk about what’s going on in their lives. The holidays were the best days of the year for them. When the holidays came around, they would often stay up together and go through their grandmother’s movie collection and indulge in different sweets and treats, cuddling under a huge blanket and just talk for hours and hours. Kun was more than his cousin: he was like a mentor, a role model, a guardian, his emotional pillar, his best friend.

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Renjun is Sicheng’s cousin. He met Renjun and Chenle when they went to the park together one day. Sicheng was responsible for babysitting his cousin that day and invited Kun to join him. They looked away for a minute to see something on Kun’s phone. By the time they looked up, Renjun was marching toward them with a look of determination with a crying boy holding his hand. Sicheng jumped up and ran up to Renjun and the unknown boy. 

“Junnie? What happened? Who’s this”, Sicheng asked frantically as he led them to the bench that he and Kun were sitting at. 

“Lele got hurt gege!”, squeaked Renjun as he pointed at the sobbing boy. Kun looked at him and his heart melted. Tears were running down his chubby cheeks and his little fist rubbed his eyes as he whimpered something in Mandarin. Kun smiled gently as he stopped him from rubbing his eyes and lifted him onto his lap. He lifted the leg of the boy’s pants to reveal a scratch. 

“It’s okay baobei. Don’t cry~”, Kun rocks him, comforting him as Sicheng lifts up the boy’s pant leg and sees a scratch. 

“We will patch you up and you will be good as new”, Sicheng said as he cups his hands gently around the boy’s wiping tears. Renjun sat next to Kun and held the boy’s hand, whispering encouraging words as Sicheng started to clean the wound and bandage it. Kun internally cooed watching the two.

After the patch him up. Kun lifted the boy’s chin up and asked softly. 

“What’s your name baobei?” 

“C-C-Chenle”

“Nice to meet you Chenle~”

Renjun suddenly got off the bench and stood in front of Sicheng and Kun. He looked at both of them seriously and said with his whole chest. The two looked at each other as they patiently waited for Renjun’s very important message. 

“Chenle is my best best best best friend in the whole wide world. Can we take him home gege?” 

“Renjunnie~”

“PLEASE GEGE! I PROMISE TO TAKE CARE OF HIM. ILL WATER HIM, FEED HIM YUMMY FOODS, PLAY WITH HIM, AND GIVE HIM A LOT OF LOVE”

Oh god. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Kun met Kunhang, Xiaojun, Ten, and Xuxi at Chinese Club. Ten and Lucas were in Sicheng and his grade. Ten resembled a cat with his feline, sharp eyes, and graceful movements, especially when he danced. Xuxi is just a puppy in an overgrown man’s body. He was always so happy and chirpy. Kunhang was the definition of chaos but was one of the sweetest people that Kun has ever met. Dejun was the quietest of the bunch but nonetheless chaotic when he was thrown in with Yangyang and the rest of the demon spawns. While they have known each other for less time than the others, they truly became like brothers. Ten was thereby Kun’s side when his grandmother passed away, holding him and keeping him above the water when he was at his worst. Xuxi was there when Kun got into a fight with his parents and ran away to his place. Dejun was there when Kun felt anxious. He would just softly play his guitar and lean his head on Kun’s shoulder. Kunhang was there when Kun struggled with his self-confidence and hated every part of himself and sat with him and listened to him and advised him, never once leaving him alone to his negative thoughts.

They were there for him through thick and thin. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

They finish cooking dinner and call the youngsters out to the living room. Sicheng and Ten began to set up the table as Kun and Xuxi brought the dishes to the table. Yangyang and the rest of them ran into the room and gathered at the table. After they all washed their hands, they gathered around the tiny table and they started to eat. They all talked and laughed together while some music in the background quietly played. Kun giggles quietly as he watches Kunhang feed Dejun a piece of chicken and blushes bright red afterward. Ten and Yangyang were bickering about which Shrek movie was the best. Xuxi was showing something on Chenle’s phone. Sicheng and Renjun were talking about something family-related.

Kun just watched them in silence in fondness. He always felt the need to protect them from the bad things in his world. He would put his life at risk to keep them safe at all cost. Just like someone did for him 10 years ago. He felt his heart drop as he remember this said person. Kun quietly sighs as he tries to internally mute his thoughts. 

He was so lost in thoughts, he didn’t realize everyone stopped what they were doing and were staring at him at him with concern. Kun flushes red from the sudden attention on him. Sicheng nudges him and asks why he wasn’t eating. Kun doesn't say anything and smiles softly as he picks up his and puts a piece of chicken in his mouth as he engages in a conversation with Sicheng and Renjun. 

They may seem like a bunch of friends. But to Kun, this was his family.

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Taeil puts down the paintbrush as he looks and admires at the final product and his craftsmanship. 

“Not too bad”, he thought as he looked at it one more time to make sure he didn’t forget anything.

He wraps it into a little box and places it into his pocket. Taeil unzips his bag and rummages through it for multiple minutes until he found what he was looking for. 

The student directory.

He opens the small book and looks for the “Q”. He runs his finger down the page until his finger stops on a name.

“Qian Kun. Freshmen. Applied Music. 1/1/1996. Room D34”

Taeil’s eyes widened in realization when he read the room number. Kun lived right next to him and Taeyong. How did he not notice before? Does Taeyong already know Kun? 

He got up out of his chair and made his way out of his room and headed toward and out the door. He texted Taeyong that he had some business to take care of, places his phone in his pocket, and made the short walk to Kun’s dorm. 

He knocks on his door and waits. No reply.

“Maybe he isn’t here?”, Taeil thought as he slid down in front of the door onto the musty, cheap carpet. He took out the box and placed it between his hands as he ran his thumb through the ribbon. Taeil could have just left the box there and went back to his dorm room but he couldn’t get himself to do so. He decided to wait for Kun to come back. What happens if someone stole the box? Or something happened to it while he was gone?. 

Taeil sighed as he placed his head in his arms. He hardly even knows Kun. Why is he doing this for a complete stranger? What was so special about Kun? 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

“Gege, did you consider just dropping out of school to become a chef?”, Sicheng asked as he looked at Kun with mock seriousness.

Kun laughs lightly as he looks at the younger. “Sometimes”. He pats the younger's head as they get off the elevator and headed toward their dorm room. As they got closer, they noticed someone was sitting in front of their dorm. 

“Gege, do you know who that is?”, ask Sicheng as he tiredly sighed. Kun shakes his head as he looks carefully at the person. They had multiple piercings that look like a constellation, a sharp jawline that can cut anyone and their round glasses rested gently on their nose. They were wearing an overlarge sweater and some ripped jeans. They ran a hand through their chocolate brown hair, revealing an undercut. 

The mysterious man turned to face Kun and Sicheng, his dark brown, lynx-like eyes staring into Kun chocolate brown, doe-like eyes. Kun freezes in his place and feels himself go numb. He stumbles a bit backward and Sicheng catches him, looking at him and the mysterious man. 

“Gege? You okay? What’s wrong?”Sicheng asked him rapidly as he shook Kun lightly but Kun didn’t respond. He can’t move. A thousand thoughts were running through his head, yelling at him all at once. No this can't be happening. Kun thought he was going to be sick as he felt his legs about to give out. The mysterious man gets up slowly, straightens out his clothing, and fiddles with the object in his hand as he looks Kun directly in the eyes with a gentle yet cautious smile. 

“Hey, Kun right?”.


	5. Chapter 4:  Amitiè

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hi, I’m Moon Taeil. You can call me Taeil hyung if you want to” Taeil introduces softly, almost like he read Kun’s mind. Kun cocked his head to the side like a lost puppy.
> 
> “T-Taiyi G-Ge?”
> 
> Moments of silences passed by when Kun suddenly spoke up in a quivering voice
> 
> “I’m Kunnie”
> 
> He looks in his bag for a small little airplane keychain he got from the prize box. Kun liked airplanes right? He extends his arm and offers the keychain as he smiles.
> 
> “Nice to meet you, Kunnie. Let’s be friends!”
> 
> Or Kun and Taeil were best friends until a huge accident, causing Taeil to have temporary Amnesia. They swore they would get married and always be soulmates forever. Now 10 years later, they meet up in university but Taeil remembers everyone but Kun.
> 
> "Hi I am Moon Taeil, who are you? Have we met before?"
> 
> Kun can't help but wonder "Why can't he remember me?" as he fidgets with the airplane key chain on his keys.

Amitiè

(n.) Friendship

Taeil took out his phone from his pocket and looked down at it to look at the time. 

10:45 PM

He sighs and he turns it off and tilts his head back, resting it against the door. Taeil has been waiting at Kun’s door for almost 30 minutes now. 

“Where is he?”, Taeil wonders as he continuously looks in the direction of the elevator but was met with disappointment when he was met with emptiness. 

He twirls the box between his fingers. He could feel his legs going numb and grow itchy from sitting on the carpet for so long, bouncing them up and down against the floor to try to get some feeling back in them. Maybe he made a mistake waiting? Is he in the wrong dorm? Why is he doing this? He sighs again and was about to leave when he heard the door of the elevator open.

He whipped his head around and craned his neck a bit to see two men laughing with their arms around each other and heading in his direction. He watches as the shorter of the slap the arm of the taller, causing the taller of the two to giggle and pinch the cheek of the shorter. Taeil felt something in his heart pang looking at the two.

“What the hell was that Taeil!?”, he thought as he put his hand over his heart, shocked at himself. This was completely foreign to him

Taeil pushes himself up slowly, straightens out his clothing, and fiddles with the object in his hand as he watches the two move closer to him. He takes a deep breath and turns to face the two. However, he locks eyes with the shorter of them and couldn’t help but gasp quietly. 

He only saw Kun briefly in the shitty lighting of the lecture hall and couldn’t see him completely since the lights were out and could only make out his basic outline. But now he was looking at Kun under the bright lights of their residence hall and couldn’t help himself and think.

“He’s pretty”. 

Kun’s thick, silky, auburn brown hair fell onto his eyes slightly as he shook them gracefully out of his eyes, revealing his doe-like, chocolate brown eyes. There was a little cute mole right above his right eyelid. His jawline was soft yet sharp. Kun was wearing a simple, overlarge white shirt tucked into a pair of light blue jeans with a long, gray cardigan. Taeil notices the tiny lobe piercings he had and the deep dimples Kun had when he was smiling at the other man.

The little demon in him slapped him internally and yelled.

“STOP DROOLING AND STARING AT HIM YOU CREEP! YOU HARDLY EVEN KNOW HIM!”

He snaps out of his internal monologue and shakes his head, looking down at the box in his hand. He cleared his throat and looked at Kun, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights, probably stunned to see him at his door unexpectedly with no invitation. Understandable. He watches the man stumble a bit as the taller unknown catches. Trying to push away the unknown feeling settling in his heart watching that, Taeil smiles gently as he turns to face Kun’s chocolate brown, doe-like eyes and finally speaks up. 

“Hey, Kun right?”.

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Kun felt his head swim as he felt his knees about to give out. Just as he thought he could escape from Taeil, from everything that's happening right now, the said man was standing right in front of him with a tiny box in his hands, smiling at him like he isn’t the reason Kun felt like this. He could feel Sicheng shaking him and saying something but he couldn’t register. He watched Taeil’s mouth say something but all he could hear was the buzzing of his thoughts rushing in and out of him. He can’t do this right now. 10 years of memories in one day was too much for Kun. 

He was staring eye to eye with the person who he was once was best friends with. Friendship

Once trusted.

Once comforted by his simple presence.

Once protected by when he was bullied. 

Once in LOVE with. 

Kun felt himself stumble back into Sicheng as his legs grew weak and finally gave out. Sicheng yelps as he feels Kun falling. He wraps his hands around Kun’s arms, supporting his body weight.

“Kun-ge?!?! KUN-GE!”. 

Kun heard Sicheng yells but he was distracted by something else. He felt another pair of hands holding his arm. The hands burn against his skin, almost like they were going to leave an imprint. They felt….safe and so familiar. Kun looks up to see Taeil looking at him, concern plastered across his face. 

“Kun? Hey! Are you okay??”

Kun kept looking at Taeil. He examines his facial features, admiring the little scar on his face, to his cheekbones, finally to those damned lynx-like, dark brown eyes. Kun was looking for something that wasn’t there. This made him sad, angry, and longing for answers. Why can’t he remember? Does Taeil think Kun and his emotions are some kind of joke? 10 fucking years of looking for him and all for this? Why is he just a stranger to someone to promise him his love? 

Kun took a deep breath as he staggered up, holding onto Sicheng, slippings his forearms away from Taeil’s grasp. He ignored Sicheng worried glances and his heart thumping against his chest, breaking every minute he looked at Taeil. 

“Yes Taeil-ssi, I am Kun. Did you need something?” 

Kun winces internally at how harsh the statement came out of his mouth. He had to keep on telling himself, like a broken film on repeat. 

“Taeil is nothing but a stranger to you now”. 

Taeil was taken back by the sudden coldness and bluntness in Kun’s voice. Was he the reason for it? No, he can’t be. Right. He tries to shake it off as he rumbles through his pocket for what he was here for. A tiny baby blue box with a white ribbon. He holds his hands with the box. 

“I noticed that you dropped this earlier. It seemed important so I fixed it. I hope you don’t mind”, Taeil said as he looked down your feet. 

Kun took the little box from Taeil’s hands. He felt his heart thump loudly when he felt his fingers brush against Taeil’s. He balanced the little box in his hands as he untied the white ribbon. He peeked inside and felt his eyes burn with tears almost instantly. Inside was his airplane keychain, looking good as new. He traces over the wings, feeling the fresh paint kiss his fingertips, His finger graced over the new wheels, turning them round and round finally stopping at the handwriting at the bottom. 

“Let’s be friends”. 

He tries to blink away the unshed tears in his eyes as he looks at Taeil, holding onto the little box a little tighter.

“Thank you Taeil-ssi. I didn’t realize I dropped this”, Kun said.

When did Kun get so good at lying? Especially when it came to his emotions?

“It’s really no problem. I’m glad I found it and was able to get it back to you”, Taeil said as he smiled. 

There was a moment of silence until Taeil spoke up 

“If you don't ask me, was it a friend who gave you that keychain?”, Taeil asks hesitantly, 

Kun chokes as he feels a lump in his throat. 

“Y-Yeah. A really close friend actually from years ago. They probably forgot who I was”, Kun chuckles bitterly, looking down at his feet. 

“Oh don’t say that! Of course, they probably didn’t forget you, Kun”. 

“Oh Moon Taeil, you damned fool”, Kun thought. 

Kun returns a smile trying to hide his internal conflict, fiercely blink away his tears and the heartbreak eating away at him.

The rest of the conversation was a blur. Kun hardly registered for the rest of the conversation. He didn’t notice that they wished each other a “goodnight” and were unlocking the door of his and Sicheng’s dorm. He felt Sicheng lead him inside gently and guide him to a nearby chair.

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Sicheng looks at him in worry as he lifts Kun’s chin. He frowns as he sees the tears forming in Kun’s eyes, avoiding his eyes. He cups his face and quietly whispers to Kun. 

“Kun Gege? Can you please look at me”

Kun finally looked at Sicheng as a few tears slipped from his eyes.

“I’m so sorry”, he whimpers brokenly as he feels Sicheng’s thumbs wipe his tears softly. Sicheng felt his heartbreak seeing his friend like this. He rubs comforting circles on Kun’s leg. 

“Gege, you don’t have to apologize. I am worried about you. Just, please! Tell me what’s bothering you”, Sicheng says with slight desperation in his voice mixing with his worry as he looks into Kun’s eyes, wiping any tears that fell.

“Please”.

Kun takes a deep breath shakingly as he starts to tell Sicheng everything. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

FLASHBACK

“KUNNIE BEAR SLOW DOWN BAOBEI! YOU’RE GONNA FALL BABY!” yells Kun’s mother as she watches her son darting down the stairs at full speed, holds onto his little guitar in one hand and his little airplane backpack with the airplane keychain hanging off of it in the other hand. 

Kun was going to go visit Taeil in the hospital. It was a daily thing since Taeil’s car accident. He would go to school and then go to the hospital, only to go back home again and start it all over again. 

Repeat cycle. 

He rushes to put on his shoes, his little fingers fasten the strings into a little bow. He felt his mom wrap a tiny burgundy scarf around his neck and place a pair of earmuffs on his head, telling him to be careful since it was getting colder every day. Kun grabs his stuff and a thick coat and makes his way out the door, the cool air of the Seoul winter greeting him. 

The hospital was a 10-minute walk from his house. He felt the snowfall onto him delicately onto him as he stuffed his hands in his coat’s pocket. He tightened his guitar case around his shoulder. He exhales as he watches his breath mix with the cold air dance in front of him. The snow underlying the ground crunches under his winter boots. 

Kun stepped foot in the waiting area of the hospital. The smell of antiseptics and pine-scented bleach became a very familiar smell acquainted with him. He sees the kind nurse he sees every day and always gives him a piece of plum candy. He waddled up to the desk and placed his hands on the tall counter, pushing himself so she could see him. 

“Kun! Nice to see you again!” 

Kun smiles widely with his dimples cutely appearing on his face. It’s been over a month since Taeil’s accident and this nurse was his favorite nurse there. She always helped Kun every time he was at the hospital. When Taeil was first admitted to the hospital, Kun was hyperventilating and crying for Taeil in the hallway, she took him outside to the hospital’s garden and showed him the different kinds of flowers and let him feed and pet the stray, fluffy white kitten that lived at the hospital’s garden. 

“Hi, Nurse Joy! Can I see Taiyi-Gege please”? 

Nurse Joy smiles warmly as she nods and steps away from the desk and holds her hand out. Kun wraps his tiny, stubby hand into her slightly bigger, warm one. She looked down at him with a gentle, fond look painting her graceful features.

“Let’s go Kunnie”. 

Kun struggles as he climbs into the seat next to Taeil’s bedside. His gege was still in a coma as his arms were littered in wires and IVs and the only way that Kun knew Taeil was still there was the constant beeping of the heart monitor and the breathing machine pumping air into the pump in his throat. 

Kun hums quietly as he takes out his little guitar and holds onto one of Taeil’s hands, being careful of the wires and needles in his hands. He brushes his fingers against Taeil’s cold knuckles. He starts telling him about his day at school and about the little white kitten at the hospital’s garden. 

“Hi gege! It’s Kunnie again. I have been practicing the song you were teaching. I don’t sound as good as you do yet but I have gotten better! I've been practicing every day so I can sound just as good as you gege! Do you want to hear?

All Kun heard was silence but he simply sighs as he plucks his guitar a few times, clears his throat, closes his eyes, and begins to sing. 

(without you-nct u)  
“Take my hand and draw a circle  
This is how much we’ve shared together  
My whole heart is by your side  
Your dreams are by my side

Living and enduring  
If we’re together, we can be a little happier  
Once again, we’re connected without an end  
Can’t live without you

As if I’m being swept away by the tide  
As if I’m wondering at the sea  
Even though I’m becoming exhausted  
Heaven is not in view

I need your warmth  
Didn’t you say it was going to be okay  
I need you, I need you”

Kun finishes softly as he opens his eyes slowly and gasps quietly. Taeil had a little smile on his face. Kun scurries to hold Taeil’s hand with both of his hands, holding his breath as he looks at Taeil. 

“Taiyi-Ge. Can you hear me?!” 

He feels Taeil squeeze his hand slightly. Kun couldn’t believe it. After 4 weeks of no response, no answer from Taeil, he was finally showing some signs of waking up. Kun felt himself getting hopeful for the first time in a month.

Kun brushes Taeil’s face as he looks at Taeil’s eyes. They were still closed and he felt his hope deflate a bit. “Nonetheless, this is a good start”, Kun thought as he went to go hug Taeil carefully. 

“I love you Taiyi-Ge”, Kun whispers softly into Taeil’s ear, not noticing the teardrop fall from Taeil’s eyes and the proud smile plastering his face.

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Sicheng looked at Kun in shock, trying to comprehend what Kun just told him. Taeil and Kun knew each other from 10 years ago? Taeil gave him that airplane keychain Kun always treasured and carried around? Taeil saved Kun? Soulmates? Sicheng couldn’t help but feel like this was something out of a fairytale. The protagonist is looking for a lost love but the lost love was involved in some freak accident and remembers everyone but the love of his life. 

Kun sighed deeply as he rubbed his eyes harshly, trying to get rid of the burning feeling. He never opened up about this until right now.

“Sicheng, he doesn’t know who I am. I am nothing more than a stranger”, Kun said miserably as he stared emptily at Sicheng as if longing for an answer. 

Sicheng rubs Kun’s knee as he comforts Kun quietly. He couldn’t imagine how hard this has been for Kun. He now understood why Kun was so upset from earlier. He thought he had all his questions answered, but all Sicheng has is a heartbroken Kun and more infuriating questions. He can’t bear to see his friend like this. Sicheng wanted to help him so badly but he was so confused. 

Sicheng pulled his hair in slight frustration until sudden thought popped in Sicheng's head and he looked at Kun. 

“Gege, you said that Taeil-ssi was in an accident”. 

“Y-Yeah, and it was all my fault”.   
Sicheng watches the guilt cloud his Ge’s chocolate brown eyes and quickly assures him. 

“Ge, It was not your fault at all”.

“YES, IT WAS SICHENG! I should have been the one who was hit then none of this would have happene-”

Sicheng lunges himself onto Kun as he buries his face into Kun’s neck. He felt his tears drop onto Kun’s shirt like rain on a window. He wraps his arms protectively around Kun. The thought alone was too scary for him. A world without Kun Ge? N-No. 

“G-Ge, don’t ever say that ever again please”, Sicheng cries into Kun’s shirt. 

Kun wrapped his arms around Sicheng and rested his chin on his head. as he sighed in sudden guilt for making the younger so upset. “Don’t cry Sichengie. Gege is sorry. I won’t say that again”. 

They stayed like that for several minutes until they both calmed down. Sicheng finally looks at Kun, cups his face, and asks him softly. 

“Did you ever find out what he was diagnosed after we woke up from his coma?”

Kun looks at him confused, tilting his head. He thinks for a bit before answering him. 

“No, I don’t think so. I left and moved afterward.” 

“Ge, perhaps the reason why he doesn’t remember you is because of the accident”. 

Kun widens his eyes at Sicheng’s statement. 

“A-Are you sure Sicheng?” 

“No, but there has to be a reason. No one just forgets their best friend who was that close to them that easily. If that was the case, he should have at least recognized you”. 

Kun remained speechless until he finally understood everything that Sicheng said.  
No, it can’t be. Is it? Perhaps?

“You mean that he has…”

“Temporary Amnesia Ge. He most likely remembers everything before and after the accident since it has been 10 years but he still probably doesn’t remember anything from the year that he met you”.

The realization hit Kun like a bus. Taeil truly doesn’t remember Kun at all. He was an error in a program. All the memories that they have been completely erased from his memory. A missing part of a movie film called Moon Taeil. Kun rubs his temples in frustration from all the overwhelming information. 

“That means in order to help him remember. We have to start from scratch and remind him of who I am?” 

Sicheng grims bitterly at the situation. “It seems like it gege”. 

He gently plays with the ring’s on Kun’s hands as he says softly “Gege, love for someone never disappears that quickly. you are the missing puzzle piece that is gonna help him remember that. Don’t give up yet Kunnie ge”. 

Hearing the nickname burns his skin like a hot-coal tattoo. Kun nods absent-mindedly as he ponders over everything that has happened and what Sicheng said. He felt like he was back in the hospital, staring at a non-responsive Taeil. Kun runs his hands on top of the little box with his airplane keychain inside of it. Kun wasn’t one to give up easily. He for sure wasn’t going to now.

The red string of faith may have been cut, causing them to stumble back from each other but Kun was going to find a way to tie a knot and fix it. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Taeil slid his hands through his hair as he tried to calm the growing headache and pounding heart as he hit his back against his door. Why did he feel like that when he looked at Kun and Sicheng? Was he…..jealous? Why did he feel this odd protectiveness and almost….. attraction? ever since he met Kun? Someone who he just met and happens to be neighbors with? Someone who reminded him of something nostalgic. Was he just tired? Is he forgetting something? Is he going insane? He never saw him anywhere before ever but why does he feel like he was looking at an old friend when he locked eyes with Kun?

Those kind, gentle chocolate-brown, doe-like eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! sorry for the late update! college registration has been kicking my butt. I hope everyone is doing okay. I just wanted to say something. Alot has been happening things have been coming up lately on social media (the aoa mina and jimin situation) and while this is my first fanfic and do not have alot of influence as a writer, I hope that at least one person sees this and feels comforted by my words or spreads the message. 
> 
> In no way to I support and endorse bullying at ALL. It is absolutely disgusting and as someone who was bullied relentlessly for things like my body to the color of my skin, it is NOT OKAY! I am repulsed over the fact that this happened and was hidden for 10 YEARS. I want to use my page as a safe spot for you to read my works and express yourself and be able to escape for even 10 minutes away from anything that is bothering you. 
> 
> I just want to say that if there is someone who is bullying you or you know someone who is being bullied...it is okay to open up. tell someone you know. don't give up! You got this! If you feel like nobody in the world believes you, I will always have your back. My comments are always open if you ever feel like you need to talk someone. 
> 
> Please send messages of support to Mina (AOA) if you can through any forms of social media. Please remember that you are important. There are people who love you and care about you. We got you! Please do not look at her Instagram since there are triggering photos. If you want a translation, please look onto twitter or other platforms where the messages just translated and where you do not need to see the photo. Do what you need to do!
> 
> Depression is not a light matter. If you need a break from everything, don't be afraid to step away and take time to take care of yourself. 
> 
> I have provided helplines and links below for the United States where you can get help or advice. If you are from somewhere else and would like to share helpline info for your country, please please please do!
> 
> https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/get-help-now  
> https://www.nationalbullyinghelpline.co.uk/  
> https://www.stompoutbullying.org/helpchat  
> https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/  
> https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
> 
> Stay Strong Everyone!
> 
> Thank you guys and see y'all in the next chapter!  
> -ASC


	6. Chapter 5: Decathect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hi, I’m Moon Taeil. You can call me Taeil hyung if you want to” Taeil introduces softly, almost like he read Kun’s mind. Kun cocked his head to the side like a lost puppy.
> 
> “T-Taiyi G-Ge?”
> 
> Moments of silences passed by when Kun suddenly spoke up in a quivering voice
> 
> “I’m Kunnie”
> 
> He looks in his bag for a small little airplane keychain he got from the prize box. Kun liked airplanes right? He extends his arm and offers the keychain as he smiles.
> 
> “Nice to meet you, Kunnie. Let’s be friends!”
> 
> Or Kun and Taeil were best friends until a huge accident, causing Taeil to have temporary Amnesia. They swore they would get married and always be soulmates forever. Now 10 years later, they meet up in university but Taeil remembers everyone but Kun.
> 
> "Hi I am Moon Taeil, who are you? Have we met before?"
> 
> Kun can't help but wonder "Why can't he remember me?" as he fidgets with the airplane key chain on his keys.

Decathect

(V.) to withdraw one's feeling of attachment from a person, an idea, or an object as in anticipation of a future loss. 

Kun’s alarm goes off as he groans and throws his pillow on top of his face, trying to block out the horrendous noise. 

“It’s too early to be productive”, Kun whines as he hopes that the demonic object would shut up on its own. 

When it wouldn’t stop, he groggily feels for his phone and turns it off. He stretches and winces when he hears a loud crack from his back. He rubs his face and sighs into his hands. Kun doesn’t recall anything clearly from last night except meeting Taeil in front of his door after he came back from Yangyang’s place and crying into Sicheng’s arms for hours until he fell asleep. Sicheng must have carried him into his bed in the middle of the night. 

Speaking of Sicheng, Kun looked around his and Sicheng’s shared room. He was greeted by his empty, neatly made bed. Sicheng was probably already up. Kun runs his hand through his messy bed hair and groans for what seemed like the 100th time that morning. He lowers his feet and hisses at the sudden coldness as he stumbles into the bathroom and turns on the light, only to see his reflection in the mirror. 

Oh sweet lord 

he managed to scare himself with his own damn self. His face was puffy and colorless and his eyes were swollen and red from crying so much yesterday. Kun traces and pokes at his deepening dark circles and eye bags. His hair was sticking up in every direction. He looks like a hot mess. Kun slaps himself in the face, waking himself up a bit more as he turns on the tap of the sink, warm water warmly splashing the sink.

“Qian Kun, get it together”, he mumbles as he reaches for his toothbrush. 

Kun finishes his business in the bathroom and is about to walk into the living room when he hears Sicheng talking animatedly on the phone with someone. Kun was shocked. Sicheng was not a morning person and especially wasn't this chirpy in the morning without his cup of black coffee. Kun squats and presses his right ear against the bedroom door as he tries to listen in on his conservation. 

“ I TOLD YOU NOT TO DYE YOUR HAIR AT 3AM ANYMORE~ AWW HYUNG IT CAN’T BE THAT BAD, YOU PROBABLY LOOK CUTE! NO, YOU CANNOT SHAVE YOUR HEAD”!

Kun scrunches his nose in cringe as he hears Sicheng coo over the person on the line and he can hear inaudible whining on the other line. Kun hasn’t heard Sicheng like that since, well, high school when he was dat-

Kun widens his eyes in sudden realization. He knows this side of Sicheng a little too well, a lovesick Sicheng. 

“Wait, Sicheng told me he was single and “want to focus on himself” last time I asked him”, Kun ponders as he adjusts himself into a better position. However, curse him and his clumsiness. He trips towards and loses his balance as he feels his knees give out under him. Out of the rush of the moment, Kun tries to hold onto the doorknob to balance himself. He only ends up turning the knob and opens the door, causing him to stumble out and fall on his face in front of Sicheng. 

Sicheng looks up to see what the sudden noise was and looks at Kun in shock. 

“Hey h-hyung, I’ll call you back”, Sicheng stutters as he hangs up and runs over to Kun. 

“Hey, Kun-ge! Are you alright?”Sicheng asks in concern as he helps Kun to his feet, checking his face for any injury. 

Kun groans as he messages his sore nose as he tries to cover up his suddenly flushed face, not looking at Sicheng in embarrassment. He was really hoping that Sicheng doesn’t catch onto him, basically eavesdropping on his conversation. 

“D-Did you happen to hear my conversation?”

“N-N-No!”

He looks at Kun with suspicious, narrowed eyes as Kun feels himself getting more and more flustered. Thankfully, Sicheng just assumes that Kun was embarrassed about falling on his face as he pats him on the shoulder, trying to comfort him. Kun quickly escapes from the situation as he busies himself in the kitchen, making him and Sicheng a quick breakfast. Sicheng joins him and they eat in comfortable silence, only speaking up to talk about little nonsensical things.   
Sicheng doesn’t bring up or push him to talk about the events from last and opted to give him comforting glances in between bites. Kun decided that he was going to get Sicheng a really, really nice Christmas gift this year, especially after yesterday.

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Both Sicheng and Kun had a 9am class, Kun had Musicology and Sicheng had Dance Composition, and Sicheng INSISTED that he and his gege walked together to their classes since they are nearby to each other. Something about “making sure his old man doesn’t lose again” (“YAH, THAT WAS ONE TIME SICHENG!”). They walk shoulder to shoulder, matching their footsteps with each other on the hot asphalt, their hair blowing lightly to the warm summer air.

“Gege?”,Sicheng calls out to Kun quietly, with a slight hesitation in his voice. 

Sicheng was fiddling with his fingers and nibbling nervously in his lip. Kun slowly stops Sicheng from picking at the skin of his nails. Kun looks at him and smiles gently.

“What’s up Sicheng?”

Sicheng struggles with his words as Kun encourage him quietly, giving him comforting pats and rubs between his shoulder blades. He takes a deep breath before he starts to speak. 

“R-Remember how I told you I was interested in a-acting?”

Kun’s smile widens a bit. How can he forget? Sicheng was a great actor and always wanted to act since the first musical they were in together in high school. He saw a new side of him when it came to acting. Sicheng could spend hours talking about the newest dramas if he was able to. Kun would notice the twinkle in Sicheng’s eyes when he would talk about acting and the childhood joy that radiated from him every time they went to plays and shows during the holidays. 

“Of course Sichengie! Why?”, Kun hums gently. 

“W-Well, I’m a-auditioning for the f-fall musical”, Sicheng says shyly as his words of, and he looks away from Kun as if he was afraid he would make fun of him and laugh in his face. 

“Oh Sicheng! That’s amazing! You are going to do so well!”, Kun says excitedly as he grins brightly. 

Sicheng spent hours and hours walking back and forth in their dorm, debating between auditioning for this musical. Kun being happy for Sicheng was an understatement, he was ecstatic for his best friend. This was Sicheng’s dream.

“G-Ge, do you think I would be good enough?”, Sicheng asks meekly as he looks down. 

Kun felt his heart pang painfully when he heard Sicheng say that. Kun knew that Sicheng doubted his abilities from time to time again and it always hurt him to see the younger bring himself down. Kun was, is, and will always be there to remind him that he was good enough and it doesn’t matter what he does, Kun will always be proud of the boy. He hopes for the day Sicheng has the confidence and doesn’t question his own talents and abilities. He looks at him with sympathy as he gently yet firmly holds his hand. 

“Yes Sichengie, you are more than good enough.”

Sicheng doesn’t say anything but squeezes Kun’s hand a bit tighter as if saying a quiet thank you. Kun grins as he swings Sicheng’s arm back and forth jokingly, giggling when he hears Sicheng grumble embarrassingly. They continued to walk to their classes in a congenial quietness until Kun spoke up with a slight smirk on his face. 

“So Sicheng....hair dye huh?”

“GEGE!”

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Kun bides Sicheng goodbye as he adjusts his backpack on his shoulder and walks into the classroom. 

“Mr.Qian, nice to see that you have arrived on time”, he heard his professor say curtly at him, smiling at him mockingly.  
Kun struggles to not roll his eyes as he makes his way to the back of the classroom. He sits down with a huff, unzips his backpack and begins to take out his laptop when his hand brushes against a sharp edge. He removes it as he sees the little box with the white ribbon. His fingers gently pull an end of the ribbon, causing the bow to become undone. Kun removes the top to reveal his airplane keychain. Kun lifts his keychain and admires at it lightly as his hand traces over the newly fixed and painted plane. He stops when he sees the wording at the bottom of the plane. 

“成为朋友吧!” (let’s be friends!)

He looks up to see Taeil enter the classroom and make eye contact with him. Taeil tilted his head as his lynx-like eyes burned into Kun’s doe-like eyes. Kun looks away quickly, bringing his attention back to the little airplane keychain sitting pretty in front of him. Kun smiles bitterly as he sighs harshly. He forgot that they were in the same class for a moment. How ironic that the person who gave it to him doesn’t remember doing so. He reaches for his keys and attaches the keychain to it, hearing it jingle. Kun looks at it one more time before he hears the professor clear his throat and begin the class. 

After 2 boring, tedious hours of learning about the hermeneutics of music, the bell rings. Kun messages his hand and rubs his eyes tiredly, both sore from typing notes for 2 hours straight. He turns his neck as he hears it crack and starts to pack up his stuff when his professors yell over the crowd of students, scrambling to get out of the classroom. 

“BEFORE YOU LEAVE. YOU ALL HAVE A PARTNERED PROJECT DUE NEXT MONTH. IT IS WORTH 20 PERCENT OF YOUR OVERALL GRADE. RUBRIC AND INSTRUCTIONS ARE AT THE FRONT OF THE DOOR. PLEASE PICK UP BOTH ON YOUR WAY OUT. HAVE A GOOD DAY!”

The whole classroom collectively groans at his words. Kun walks toward the front of the classroom, grabbing the rubric and instructions on the music stand his demonic professor put up. 

God, it's already month one and they already have a project worth 20 percent of their overall grade:”, Kun internally grumbles as he reads the content on both pieces of paper. 

“Create a 4-minute composition with one other person in the classroom that follows the expectations below. This is due next month from today’s class on ”. Below were the instructions and expectations and the rubric that they will be graded on. Kun notices the little words below the rubric. “THIS WILL BE GRADED WITH THE HIGHEST EXPECTATIONS. GOOD LUCK!” 

In the midst of cursing his musicology professor and moping over the project, he hits into something solid and stumbles back. He feels a pair of skinny yet strong arms gracefully catch him mid-back before he falls back any further, feeling the stranger’s bracelets tickle against his forearms. 

“Watch out old man. You've been falling a lot lately huh?”, a slightly high pitched, teasing voice said as he helps Kun straighten up. 

Kun huffs as he tries to hit the stranger with his backpack, only for the stranger to glide smoothly to the side and catch the bag, snickering at Kun. Kun pouts as he looks at the stranger’s light brown feline eyes as he shakes his bleached blonde hair, falls softly out of his face, and smirks at Kun. 

“I AM NOT OLD TEN!”, Kun whines and turns his back childishly from Ten, crossing his arms angrily. Ten smiles as he throws his body weight against Kun as he throws his arm around Kun, causing the latter’s knees to slightly buckle. 

“Come on Kunnie~ I’m joking. Don’t be like that”. 

Kun looks at Ten unimpressed as he lifts his hand to flick Ten’s forehead. “Why are you here?” he says deadpan.

Ten clutches his chest dramatically and he huffs loudly. “ SICHENG SENT ME HERE TO RETRIEVE YOU AND WALK YOU TO THE LIBRARY. HE WAS SO CONCERN THAT OUR OLD MAN WOULD GET LOST. OH MY FRIEND DOESN’T WANT ME HERE! HOW CAN I LIVE NOW??”. 

Kun shakes his head and sighs. He was meeting Ten, Sicheng, and Xuxi in the library since Xuxi needed help on Calculus and insisted “it has been a long time 24 hours since they last met”. Kun loves his friends but he sometimes wants to run them over with a monster truck. Hanging out with them always leads to Kun’s blood pressure rising up dangerously. He exhales stressfully as he feels Ten drag him toward the direction of the library. 

“I hope you know I hate you”. 

“Love you too Kunnie~”

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

Taeil takes a drink of his lukewarm coffee as he watches Yuta scanning books and placing them into a cart. He gags a bit and scrunches his face a bit when he feels the bitter liquid hit the back of his throat. Yuta sets down a particularly large pile of books and leans against the counter. 

“Hyung, that's your third cup of coffee today”, Yuta sighs as he looks at the older down the bit of the caffeine and tosses the empty cup in the trash. 

“I know. I got literally no sleep last night”, Taeil says tiredly as he lays his head against the counter and closes his eyes heavily. 

Yuta hums as he pats Taeil’s head. “What’s keeping you up? Boy trouble?”, Yuta says jokingly. 

Well, Yuta wasn’t exactly wrong. Taeil had a killer headache all night. He has been all night replaying events that have happened last night. He couldn’t stop thinking about Kun. From the way his harsh reaction when Taeil touched him to the way that his eyes watered up when Taeil asked about that airplane keychain. Everything felt so balmy and so familiar, from his chocolate brown, doe-like eyes to the little mole above his right eye. Something about Kun was almost nostalgic, like a home-cooked meal. Taeil couldn't put a finger on it though. Taeil doesn’t remember seeing or meeting Kun anywhere. He didn’t know that Kun existed until they faithfully met in their 9AM musicology class when Kun burst through the door mid-lecture. 

Taeil snaps out of his thoughts when he hears Yuta sigh. He looks to see blueish-purplish hair Japanese staring at someone with a love-struck look on his face. Taeil rolls his eyes when he sees the goofy smile on Yuta’s face grow bigger and the smile wrinkles under his eyes cease even deeper. Taeil puts his hands on the counter and pushes himself up, craning his neck to see what Yuta was staring at. 

“What are you looking at Yuta?”

Yuta yelps loudly then sheepishly apologize when half of the library looks in the direction with a mix of interested and annoyed looks. Yuta grows red out of embarrassment as he hits Taeil’s arm with an Introduction to Religion 101 textbook. 

“I-I wasn’t looking at anyone-”. 

Taeil giggles to himself as he looks in the direction that Yuta was staring at like a love-sick puppy. He was able to see clearly now. There were 4 boys sitting together at a table. The tallest with caramel hair was telling some sort of story, with his long limbs moving around rapidly, dangerously close to the shorter boy next to him with blonde hair who was doing each swinging limb. The other two boys across them were laughing at the scene in front of them, the one with baby pinkish hair laughing, clutching onto the shoulder of the boy with auburn brown hair who was chuckling quietly. 

Taeil smirks. “Are you sure about that?”, He teased Yuta. 

Yuta sputters incoherently as he weakly punches Taeil the best he could with the barrier of the library counter. “Stop it hyunggggg”!

Taeil snickers as he watches the baby pink hair turn in their direction and make eye contact with Yuta and blush lightly.

Wait, hasn’t he seen him somewhere?

“Come on lover-boy, Doyoung and Taeyong are waiting for us at the coffee sho-”, Taeil stops speaking when he sees the auburn-brown boy curiously turn in their direction to see what the pink-hair boy, who he recognized as Sicheng, was blushing at. Taeil froze. 

It was Kun. 

Taeil looks away embarrassingly and distracts him by glances at the Musicology rubric and instructions for their impending project. He gets a sudden idea and grabs out his phone from his pocket, ignoring the curiously glances that Yuta was giving him. 

“Wait here Yuta, I'll be right back”, Taeil says as he walks toward the direction of the 4 boys gingerly, deaf to Yuta’s protest and rapid questioning growing quieter and quieter. 

Taeil approaches in front of the table and clears his throat politely to get their attention. All four boys turn to him and look at him from a range of shock to curiosity to slight exasperation. He notices Kun’s eyes wandering everywhere but his own eyes. He grows flustered at the sudden attention as he rubs the back of his neck. He hesitated for a bit and was about to say something when the one with smooth blonde hair and feline, dark brown eyes spoke up. 

“Excuse me, can we help you?”

“S-Sorry, I was looking for K-Kun”. Taeil stutters at the sudden bold statement. 

The blonde narrows his eyes at him in suspicion as the tallest boy looks at him to Kun with widened eyes. Sicheng was gnawing at his lip as he glanced at Kun in worry.

After what felt like an eternity, Kun took a deep breath and exhaled as he looked him straight in the eye and gave a small smile. 

Taeil felt something in his spark in his chest when he made eye contact with those doe-like, chocolate eyes and he wasn’t sure if he liked it or didn’t like it. He gulps, trying to suppress the eerie feeling. 

“Hello Taiy-, I mean Taeil-ssi, what can I help you with”. 

Kun curses at himself for almost slipping up. He remembered the conversation he had with Sicheng last night. 

“You have to start from scratch. You are nothing more than strangers now”. 

He notices Xuxi’s shocked look at him, Ten’s death glare at Taeil, and the worried glances he was getting at Sicheng. He couldn’t focus on anything but Taeil. He felt his heart pound against his ribcage as he looked into those damn lynx-like, dark brown eyes glaring into his soul, feeling something in him ache hungrily. 

“I was wondering if you have a partner for the Musicology project?”

“I don’t, why?”

“Do you want to be partners Kun?”

Kun froze. He felt his heart rate increase even more as he blinked a few times, trying to register the words that came out of Taeil’s mouth.

“Kun?”

Kun snaps out his own dilemma as he sees Taeil looking at him with his head tilted slightly to the left as curiosity and slight disquiet reflects on his eyes. Kun flushes lightly as he stutters “S-Sure”. 

“Cool! Can I have your number? J-Just so we can communicate about the project”. 

Kun nods quietly as Taeil smiles lightly as he gives his phone to Kun, feeling his fingers brush against Kun’s. After they exchange numbers and give their phones back to each other, Taeil bows at the group.

“Thank you, Kun, I’ll text you soon”. 

Kun returns the bow awkwardly as he wipes his sweaty palms on the front of his pants. 

“S-S-See you Taeil-ssi”. 

Taeil smiles brightly at him as he turns to leave. He pauses as he turns back to face Kun. 

“You don’t have to be formal with me Kun. You can call me Hyung, i-if you want”. 

“H-Hyung?”

Kun looks at him in surprise while he notices Sicheng looking back at him to Kun with his mouth slightly gaped. It was like 10 years ago when they were in the library and Taeil was offering his hand to help a scared younger Kun. A once sweet memory to Kun turned to a sour, forgotten past.

Taeil noticed Kun’s surprised confusion and thought for a second before he spoke. Kun was Chinese right? He distinctly spoke to Kun in Mandarin when they met in front of Kun’s door last night. 

“Or you can also call me Taeil-Ge if that makes you more comfortable”. 

“T-Thank you Taeil-Ge. It was nice seeing you again”. 

Taeil felt a fuzzy warmth fill his heart when he heard Kun say that. He nods at the rest of the boy as he bids goodbye and turns to walk toward Yuta who has finished up his TA work and was waiting for him, watching the whole thing go down. Taeil grabs his stuff and drags a speechless Yuta toward the entrance of the library. He turns one more time to the table of four before he leaves. He notices the pair of keys twirling between Kun’s fingers. He bites his lips to suppress the smile forming on his face when he notices the little airplane hanging on it He finally turns around and walks out the library with Yuta, dodging his cannonball of questions. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋  
Ten, Xuxi, and Sicheng looked at Kun, who was sitting completely frozen with an unreadable expression, grasping his phone tightly with Taeil’s contact still open.

“Kun, are you okay? You look a bit pale”.

“Gege?”

“Kun-Ge, please say something. You're scaring us”. 

Kun closes his eyes as he feels them begin to sting. He thought he could withdraw his past with Taeil in anticipation that he could forget the pain of the reality of his situation. Instead, he feels even more homesick than before. Sick of longing for the dark brown, lynx-like eyes that held so much warmth after 10 fucking years of waiting, and waiting, and waiting. 

“He is nothing more than a stranger to you now”

Kun sighs quietly. He has to do this so he can get his old Taiyi-Ge back. He has to forget the short boy with ruffled black hair and round glasses in order to tie the red string that once connected them 10 years ago under the cherry blossom video near the pond. Even though it hurt him so badly, this is only the start. 

“I’m okay. Just deep in thought”. 

They don’t believe him, especially Sicheng who was rubbing his hand comfortably, easing his death grip on his phone. However, knowing Kun, they choose to drop the topic. Something tells them that this is going to be brought up again in the future. 

They stay silent for a moment before Ten smiles evilly and snickers quietly. 

“So Sicheng, that TA is kinda hot isn’t he? Couldn’t keep your eyes off of him?”

“TEN GE!”


	7. Chapter 6: Thanatophobia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hi, I’m Moon Taeil. You can call me Taeil hyung if you want to” Taeil introduces softly, almost like he read Kun’s mind. Kun cocked his head to the side like a lost puppy.
> 
> “T-Taiyi G-Ge?”
> 
> Moments of silences passed by when Kun suddenly spoke up in a quivering voice
> 
> “I’m Kunnie”
> 
> He looks in his bag for a small little airplane keychain he got from the prize box. Kun liked airplanes right? He extends his arm and offers the keychain as he smiles.
> 
> “Nice to meet you, Kunnie. Let’s be friends!”
> 
> Or Kun and Taeil were best friends until a huge accident, causing Taeil to have temporary Amnesia. They swore they would get married and always be soulmates forever. Now 10 years later, they meet up in university but Taeil remembers everyone but Kun.
> 
> "Hi I am Moon Taeil, who are you? Have we met before?"
> 
> Kun can't help but wonder "Why can't he remember me?" as he fidgets with the airplane key chain on his keys.

Thanatophobia

(N.) extreme fear of losing someone you love.

“What do you call a fake pasta?”

“Hyung, please don’t-”

“IMPASTA”

“YUTA THAT WASN’T EVEN FUNNY”

“SHUT UP. I'm HILARIOUS!” 

Doyoung springs over his seat to hit Yuta in the arm, only for him to accidentally hit his ribcage against the chair’s arm. Yuta laughs loudly as Doyoung grumbles and complains to Taeyong. The latter only strokes his hair to comfort him, discreetly chuckling.

Taeil giggles quietly to him as he watches the scene unfold in front of him. The different aromas of the coffee shop embraced him as he felt the steam of his Caramel Macchiato warm him up. The white noise of the cafe was drowned with the ongoing bickering between Taeyong, Doyoung, and Yuta. He stretches his arms and makes a small noise, sighing happily. Taeil feels his right pocket vibrate as he fishes it out from his pocket and watches his phone brightly turn on and unlock. There were a couple messages from his younger brother Donghyuck, a Snapchat from Johnny, and some an alert about a new grade entered in. He mindlessly scrolls past them until he looks at the unclosed contact in front of him. 

Qian Kun (钱锟) 

He feels his heart flip a bit reading his name over and over again. There was that feeling in his heart again. The phrase “Let’s be friends” echoes through his head endlessly. Where has he heard this from before? He absentmindedly traces the Chinese letters of Kun’s name on the pink cloth of the table. Maybe he found Kun….interesting? Every time he looked at Kun, it felt like seeing a childhood friend you haven’t seen in years. Nostalgic. 

Taeil didn’t even realize he was smiling like a fool at his phone until a pink napkin smacked him in the face. He yelps loudly and looks up in shock to see an unimpressed Doyoung staring at him. 

“Hyung!” 

Taeil huffs as he takes a sip of his macchiato to hide the rising blush on his face. 

“What were you staring at Taeil Hyung?”, Taeyong asked as he tried to peek at Taeil’s phone. 

Taeil scrambles as he shoves his phone back in his pocket, hitting Doyoung’s hand lightly when he tries to reach over and grab his phone. 

“N-Nothing!”, Taeil says unconvincingly as he looks everywhere but the other 3 boys. 

“WAS IT THAT BOY YOU WERE TALKING TO IN THE LIBRARY??”Yuta yells as he dramatically hits the table, causing it to shake a bit, causing the people around them to look at the table of boys. 

Taeil takes a deep breath and glares at Yuta and he flinches a bit. “Nakamoto, I will kill you”, he whispers discreetly as he sees Yuta's visibility shrink into his seat, praying that Doyoung and Taeyong didn’t catch on. 

He was gravely mistaken. 

Doyoung widens his eyes and gasps dramatically as Taeyong claps his hands over his mouth and squeals softly. 

“TAEIL HYUNG, THE MOON TAEIL INTERESTED…..IN A BOY?!?”, Doyoung theatrical whispers as he looks at Taeil with a shocked look, his bunny-like eyes trained directly at his, 

Taeil wanted to melt into the ground in pure embarrassment as he tried to look away from Doyoung’s piercing, questioning eyes. He fiddles with the necklace around his neck, the little moon charm hitting against his chest.

“It’s not that! I was talking to a boy about a project. That’s it!”

“You sure hyungie? It looks like you were kinda a bit intrigued by him. Wasn’t it the one with auburn-brown hair and the really cute dimples?”, Yuta smirks knowingly as he raises an eyebrow subjectively at Taeil.   
Taeil grabs the nearest fork near him and chucks it at Yuta, causing him to yelp and nearly missing the metal utensil

“I could say the same about you Yuta! How about the boy with baby pink hair you were gawking at?... What’s his name??... SICHENG RIGHT?”, Taeil retorted as he watched Yuta's face turn different shades of red as he tried to deny his statement.

Yuta sputters as Doyoung and Taeyong look at them in complete shock. Yuta looks at him with a pleading look as Taeil stuck his tongue at him mockingly and smiles smugly. 

“Wait...Sicheng? As in Dong Sicheng?”, Taeyong asks. Yuta looks at him with widened eyes and his mouth slightly open. 

“How did you know him?”, both Yuta and Taeil say at the same time. Taeyong looks at them curiously as he raises his cut eyebrow slightly as he looks at Yuta first.

“We have a Dance Composition together. We just met so I don’t know much about him. All I know is that he has a boyfriend, he is from China originally and studied Chinese Dance since he was 4, and-”. Yuta turns to look away everywhere but at his friends, trying to calm down the blush gathering around his cheeks. Taeyong then turns to look at Taeil expectantly. “He and his roommate are our neighbors .'' 

Taeil tried to push away the odd feeling in his heart when he heard “boyfriend” and “roommate” as he pretended to look surprised. Was he jealous? What exactly was he jealous of? The fact that Sicheng and Kun were so close and possibly something more than friends? Or the fact he isn’t Sicheng and knows everything about Kun?

“Isn’t his roommate Qian Kun? I have Psychology with him and Ten. I always see him waiting for them after class”, Doyoung recalls as he looks at Taeil. 

How does everyone know it seems to know Kun but Taeil?

“He’s actually a pretty cool guy for the few times I have talked to him. He’s really smart and very passionate about music. But he's kinda mysterious. He doesn’t open up much about his past. He always just changes the topic”, Doyoung shrugs lightly as he takes a bite of Taeyong’s strawberry cake. 

Taeil slides back into his seat as he looks out the cafe’s window. He takes a sip of his now cold coffee as he watches the light pink Cherry blossom petals dance through the wind. It seems like nobody knows about Kun’s past. He looks at his phone with Kun’s contact still open, staring at him almost mockingly. He sighs.

“Who are you, Qian Kun?”

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

Taeil bumped shoulders with Yuta and Doyoung as they walked back to the campus from the little coffee shop. They felt the sunburn their backs as they heard their footsteps match with each other with every step. They laughed loudly as Yuta told a very animated story. Doyoung and Taeyong were holding hands as Yuta and Taeil teased them when they looked away. They reached the pedestrian crosswalk and were about to walk when Taeil felt someone tug his sleeve and pull him back. He turns to see Yuta with a slightly panicked look. He softens his glare as he calls back to Taeyong and Doyoung. 

“DOYOUNG AND TAEYONG! WAIT!”

They both stop as they look to see Yuta and Taeil still at the crosslight. Taeyong notices Yuta’s expression and furrows his eyebrows in worry as he and Doyoung approach him. 

“Are you okay Yuta?”, Taeil asks softly as he rubs up and down Yuta’s arm in an attempt to comfort the younger. Yuta nods as he looks back at the manhole behind them. They all follow his glaze confusingly

“Yuta hyung, what are y-”

“I-I heard something in the manhole,” Yuta says quietly as he looks back at it. 

They almost didn’t hear him when they heard a muffled noise from the manhole. Taeil walks toward it slowly as he bends down to see through the tiny peephole. Doyoung turns on his flashlight in his phone and brings it closer until they can see inside of it. Taeil notices a little white body covered in soot and a black tail moving. The object looked up at Taeil with its big, aqua blue eyes while it meowed quietly. Its black ears pressed against its head as it cowered in a corner. It was a Siamese kitten. 

“SHIT! GUYS IT'S A KITTEN!”, Doyoung screams as he and Taeil starts to place his hands around the plate of the manhole. They notice Taeyong and Yuta rush to their side. Taeil looks at them and focuses back on the plate. A few bystanders were watching them now but they didn’t care. All Taeil cared about right now was the little kitten in the sewer. 

“Okay on my count to 3, lift up”. 

They all nodded as they bent their knees and tighten their grip on the plate. 

“1….2…..3….LIFT!” 

They all lift up the plate with all their strength. They feel the plate move and hear it screech against the frame. They struggled as their arms began to shake with the weight of the manhole cover as they staggered to the side. Taeil grinds his teeth as they lift the covering completely off, revealing a big hole in the ground. They all grunt as they drop the cover to the side.

Taeil ignores his cramping arms and back as he drops his knees close to the entrance of the manhole, laying down onto the warm asphalt. The smell of the sewer hit his nostrils as he pressed down his gags. He looks at the other’s covers their noses with a disgusted look on their face.

He takes a deep breath before he ducks his head inside, trying his best to ignore the horrid stench. He feels Yuta on his right side holding him in place and Taeyong on his other side, holding his phone so he can see. Taeil slides in deeper as he spots it and gets closer to the kitten. The kitten whimpered as it edged away from Taeil, meowing in distress. 

Taeil held out his fist as he looked at the creature slowly as he smiles gently. 

“Shhh~ It’s okay. I won’t hurt you. I promise”.

The kitten looks at him with its aqua-eyes before it edges closer to him in curiosity. Taeil felt it whiskers tickle against his fist as its little nose pressed against it. He held his breath when it began to sniff his fist. After what seemed to be an eternity, the kitten licked his fist and rubbed its face gently against it.

Taeil smiles as he runs his hand through the kitten’s matted, dirty fur, resulting in the kitten purring and nudging his hand softly. Taeil went to slowly grab the kitten when all of a sudden he felt himself slip and lose balance. He closed his eyes shut and braced himself to fall onto the ground of the sewer as he held onto the kitten protectively. Instead, he feels three pairs of arms hold him tightly. 

“TAEIL HYUNG! ARE YOU OKAY?”

“TAEYONG I’M FINE. I HAVE THE KITTEN IN MY ARMS. HELP ME UP?”, Taeil shouts back as he feels himself being pulled up and out of the hole. He feels the fresh air hit his nose as he gasps harshly. The kitten's arms mew as it buried its head deeper into Taeil’s shirt. Taeyong, Doyoung, Yuta pant heavily as they give each other an exhausted high-five. The bystanders on the side clapped loudly as one of them offered a hand towel and a warm water bottle. 

“Hyung, you scared us for a minute there”, Yuta mumbled as he watched Taeil wash the kitten carefully. Taeil giggled as he felt it squirm in his arms, trying to avoid the water.

“I know you don’t like that. I’m sorry, it will be over soon~”, Taeil cooed as he softly scratches the kitten’s ear. It purrs loudly as Taeil continues to wash it and dry it clean with the little hand towel. Doyoung removed his sweatshirt and offered it to Taeil. 

“Here Hyung”, he says quietly as Taeil smiles gently and takes the sweatshirt. He wraps the little kitten in it. It yawns cutely as it snuggles against Doyoung’s sweatshirt. 

“Hyung, how do you think it got down there”, Taeyong asked as he cooed at the little kitten.

“I’m not sure”, Taeil says as he watched it close its eyes and fall asleep in his arms. 

“Hyung, what are you gonna do with it? It doesn’t look like it belongs to anyone. We can’t possibly bring it back to the dorms and the nearest animal shelter is 40 minutes by drive!”, Yuta says as he looks at the kitten. 

Taeil doesn’t know what to do honestly. He never has taken care of a kitten before. Hell! He never had a pet before. He looks at it and feels his heart melt as its tail curled around his wrist. He pets its head gently with his thumb as he exhales deeply.

“I have no other choice but to keep it on the down-low in the dorms. We can’t just leave it all alone!”

They all looked at each other in doubt for a few minutes before they agreed and nodded. They decided that they can take turns taking care of it and it can live in Taeyong and Taeil dorm since they had a suite-style room that was big enough to house the kitten. They would have to be careful to not be caught by anyone but they were willing to risk it. This will be their little secret. 

“Well Taeil Hyung, what are you going to name it then since it's now part of our family ``,'' Doyoung mutters as he tucked the sweatshirt closer to the kitten. 

Taeil thought about it for a while until he spoke up softly, trying not to wake up the sleeping kitten in his arms. 

“Louis”.

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋  
FLASHBACK

Taeil shivers under the baby blue blanket as he saw a glaring light outside the window, following with a roaring, thunderous sound. He whimpers as he presses closer to the sleeping body next to him, trying to seek some form of comfort from the storm outside. 

Taeil was sleeping over at Kun’s place. They huddled under the blanket as they bump their legs together, giggling at each other's antics. A little table was placed in front of them with different arrays of snacks. A movie was playing in the background as they cuddled their little bodies closer together, feeding off each other's body heat. Kun’s eyes were glued to the screen with his mouth slightly open and his arms hugging an airplane plushie, engrossed with the movie. Taeil chuckled as he reached over to gently brush Kun’s bangs out of his eyes, taking a picture of the younger. He feels Kun wrap his arm around Taeil and rest his head against his shoulder. Taeil smiles as they sit in a comfortable silence watching the movie. Suddenly thunder rumbled loudly outside and it started to rain heavily. Taeil finches slightly and his breath hitches as he instinctively moves closer to Kun. He looked up and noticed the frown on Taeil’s face. 

“Taiyi-ge, are you okay?”

Taeil feels Kun hold his hand as he tries to calm his heart erratically thumping against his rib cage. Taeil never told Kun that he was afraid of thunderstorms. He didn’t want to worry Kun. He simply nodded as he forcibly tried to smile. 

“I’m okay Kunnie”. 

Taeil gasps loudly when another boom loudly rattles through Kun’s bedroom. He covers his ears, trying desperately to block out the noise. He found it harder to breathe every time a flash of lightning struck and he felt his heart beating out of control. He didn’t want to awaken Kun, who was sleeping peacefully next to him oblivious to what was going on. He shakingly searched his pockets, looking for his little iPod and headphones he always carried around. He found that listening to music always made him better during a thunderstorm. But all he felt were his empty pockets. He must have forgotten them at home. He let out a little whimper as he felt his eyes water up. He clenched onto the blanket tighter and brought it up to face as he heard another roar, closing his eyes. He began to cry as he tried his best not to make any noises, his chest heaving up and down as he quietly sobs into the blanket. 

He felt something rustle near him but he was too scared to open his eyes. A warm hand was placed gently on his chest, but he wasn’t thinking straight out of fear. 

“P-p-please don’t hurt m-me”, Taeil cries softly as he feels his tears fall onto the neck of his nightshirt. 

“Taiyi-Ge. It’s me!”

Taeil slowly opened his eyes. Kun was hunched on top of him, hair ruffled with sleep and a very worried look on his face, contracting against the sleepiness in his eyes. His hands were rubbing comforting circles on Taeil’s chest. 

“Gege, what’s wrong? Are you okay? Are you sick? Do you miss home? Do y-”, Kun rambled with concern lacing his drowsy voice before he felt Taeil embrace him tightly, openly sobbing into his shoulder. Kun feels Taeil jerks harshly against him as he grips Kun’s tightly. Kun rocks them both back and forth as he whispers sweet nothings into Taeil’s ear. He wipes the tears from his face as he presses his forehead against his. Another flash of lightning shocked through Kun’s room as Taeil screamed and buried his face into Kun’s shoulder. Kun felt his shaking as he ran his hands up and down his back. 

“Gege, don’t be afraid, I’ll protect you”, Kun said quietly as he ran his fingers through Taeil’s hair. Even though Kun felt a bit scared himself, he had been strong for his Taiyi-Ge. 

They stayed like that until Taeil fell asleep in Kun’s arms, tear tracks evident on his face. Kun wipes the rest of the tears off as he lays Taeil next to him on the bed. Drowsiness finally took over Kun as he cuddled against Taeil, resting his head against Taeil’s shoulder. He felt his eyes closing as he succumbed to sleep

“Goodnight Taiyi-Ge”. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

Taeil reaches into the shelf above him to take out a bowl. He hums as he opens the can of cat food and places it in the bowl. He takes a fork and breaks it down a bit when he feels something nudging its head against his leg. Taeil smiles and bends down to pet the kitten's head, causing Louis to purr happily and rub its head against his hand. 

“Hungry?”, Taeil hums as he places the bowl of food in front of Louis. He giggles when he sees the little kitten sniff the unknown food in front of it before eating it. 

Taeil brushes his hands against his pants as he leans his elbows against the kitchen counter. He takes out his phone and messes around with it for a bit before he notices the contact that he never ended up closing. He taps on the little bubble and a “new message” opens up. He hovered his fingers across his keyboard and typed something, only to delete it afterward. He felt his heartbeat rapidly as he kept on typing and deleting what he wrote. Why does he feel like this? Over a text message? It’s just Kun! Right? He feels like a middle schooler texting his crush. Except Taeil doesn’t like Kun…...at least he thinks so. 

He finally types something and hits “send” before he regrets doing sending. He turns his phone off and places it on the counter, pressing his eyes against his palms, seeing little pops of color appear in his vision. He sighs quietly as he looks at Louis. 

“Must be nice to be a kitten right, Louis?”, Taeil mumbles as he rubs his forehead tiredly. The little feline only meows in response as it wraps his tail around his ankle. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

Kun pushes his glasses up his face as he types something on his laptop. Different kinds of textbooks and varying assignments scatter around his desk as the music plays in the background. He peaked over at the open “Physics of Music” textbook before he types up the last word for his assignment. Kun sits back and stretches, arching his back like a cat. 

He takes a sip from his lukewarm coffee when he hears his phone suddenly ring harshly against the soft piano music. He reaches over, pushing over the array papers to see who was calling. He looks confused at the time before looking back at the contact.

“It’s 10:30PM, why is he calling now? Doesn’t he have school tomorrow?!”

Kun quiets down the music and slides the “accept” button to the right before he presses his phone to his ear.

“Yangyang? What’s up? Why are you calling so late?”

Kun hears sniffling from the other line. He sits up straighter in his seat as he immediately starts to panic, feeling his heart sink. 

“Yangyang, what’s wrong baobei?”, his voice softens as he hears the younger choke back on sobs. 

“G-Gege, I-I-”, Yangyang whimpers incoherently before he fades off. Kun shushed the younger softly as he tried to calm down Yangyang. 

“Baobei, listen to gege. Take a few deep breaths for me okay?”, He says kindly as he hears Yangyang breathe harshly against the speaker a few times before he eventually heard Yangyang’s breathing slow down a bit. ]

Kun let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding until now. 

“Yangyangie, do you want to talk about it?”

He felt himself getting uneasy as he thought about the worst possible situations that made Yangyang so upset. Was he being bullied? Did something bad happen back home? Did he do something and now he regrets it? 

“Gege…...I like someone”. 

Kun gasps lightly when he hears those words. He felt another wave of relief wash over him for the second time that night. He was so glad it wasn't any of the scenarios that were playing his head. He thinks carefully about what to say without embarrassing or upsetting the boy. 

“Yangyangie~ Hey! It’s okay baobei! It’s okay to have a crush on someone. You don’t need to be embar-”

“I like Renjun”. 

Kun froze as he widened his eyes. Well, he wasn’t expecting that. He looks at his phone with a slightly gaped mouth as he feels his brain going haywire, trying to process what he just heard. However, just as he was about to say something, Yangyang speaks. 

“I know it's bad. He's my best friend and Sicheng Ge’s cousin. I don’t want to ruin my friendship with Renjun or you and Sicheng’s Ge’s just because I have feelings for him! I know he doesn’t like me anyway but I don’t wanna lose him gege.”, Yangyang says before he cuts himself off with a huff. 

Kun feels his heartbreak into a million pieces. Yangyang may seem like a very mischievous kid who always seems to be up to no good and is always super extroverted and open-minded to everything. But, behind that facade was the boy that Kun knows very well. One who cared a lot about his family and friends and what they thought about him, always thinking about them first before himself. He is always scared that he would disappoint someone or good enough for someone, especially his Kun ge. 

“Oh, baobei. It’s really okay. Don’t say that. You don’t know if he likes or doesn’t like you right? How long have you liked him?”. 

“A few months”, Yangyang mumbles quietly. 

Kun grins to himself. He felt himself swell in pride. His little cousin was growing up “Don’t blame yourself for having emotions baby. It is a part of growing up. You know that Sicheng would not be upset or mad at you for liking his baby cousin. And neither do I or your friends. Don’t worry about me gege and Sicheng gege baobei”. 

“Gege. What happens if he doesn’t like me back?”, Yangyang asked shyly. 

“Yangyang. I have known you and Renjunnie for years now. I know he values your friendship with you as you do with him. If he doesn’t like you, it will be awkward for a bit but eventually, it will get better. He would never hate you for liking him. You will never know unless you ask him, baby”, Kun says softly. 

“Promise?”

Kun almost didn’t catch that last word because of how quietly Yangyang said it. Even though Yangyang was growing up, he was still the little Yangyang who would look at him in awe with his curious, big chocolate brown eyes every single time. He smiles.

“I promise Yangyang”. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

Kun talks with Yangyang for another 20 minutes before he wishes his goodnight and hangs up. He sighs tiredly as he turns back to his computer, He scrolls through his playlist and plays a new song, hearing the familiar introduction fill his and Sicheng’s shared room. He was about to start another assignment when he heard his phone ding against his desk. He picked up his phone quickly, thinking it was Yangyang again. He looked at the message on his screen and his heartbeat thumped weakly against his chest and he felt his breath get stuck in his throat. 

It was from Taeil. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

From Moon Taeil (문태일): 

Hey Kun! It’s Taeil! I was wondering when you would be free to start the project?

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

Kun sighed as he buried his head into his hands. No matter how hard he tried to forget Taeil, he always found a way to remember him. He replays the events that happened in the library earlier that day. He couldn’t shake off the spark he got from those lynx-like, dark brown eyes staring straight into his. 

“You can call me Taeil Ge if that’s more comfortable”. 

Kun hesitates for a moment before he types out a message. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

To Moon Taeil (문태일): 

Hello Taeil Ge. Tomorrow afternoon around 3:30 should be fine.

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

Kun looks at the message one more time before he sets his phone down and closes his eyes. The song in the background engulfed him.

your eyes tell (BTS)

To face the past and the future  
How much hope is needed to reach you  
It's nights like these that I keep on thinking  
In the city at dusk.

Even the darkness we see is so beautiful  
Please believe me  
Looking only directly at you  
So you don't go away  
The gazing eyes are so colorful  
You taught me  
That someday the sadness will wind us together.

The familiar tune reminded him of a forgotten past. A past of cherry blossom trees and a pond near their homes. A past of late-night walks and long talks. A past of holding hands and laughing carelessly without the care of the world without being afraid of losing someone so important to him. A past with that someone who he loved and called his soulmate. 

Kun sighs one more time as the song ends and was about to close his laptop when he suddenly thought of something. He tried to push it away but before he knew it, he felt his hands gravitation toward his keyboard as curiosity got the better of him. He types into the search bar. 

Moon Taeil (문태일)

He clicks to enter and a bunch of articles and images pop up when he sees the photo that he and Taeil took in front of the little garden in front of their elementary school. 10 years ago. Kun unknowing smiles as he saves the picture on his laptop. He scrolls down further to see articles from later dates. They were about his accident and pictures of the hospital he was at and that Kun used to visit him before he left. This only got Kun more and more curious. He leans in closer to his laptop, the image of the younger Taeil reflecting off of his glasses.

‘Who are you Moon Taeil?"


	8. Chapter 7: Querencia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hi, I’m Moon Taeil. You can call me Taeil hyung if you want to” Taeil introduces softly, almost like he read Kun’s mind. Kun cocked his head to the side like a lost puppy.
> 
> “T-Taiyi G-Ge?”
> 
> Moments of silences passed by when Kun suddenly spoke up in a quivering voice
> 
> “I’m Kunnie”
> 
> He looks in his bag for a small little airplane keychain he got from the prize box. Kun liked airplanes right? He extends his arm and offers the keychain as he smiles.
> 
> “Nice to meet you, Kunnie. Let’s be friends!”
> 
> Or Kun and Taeil were best friends until a huge accident, causing Taeil to have temporary Amnesia. They swore they would get married and always be soulmates forever. Now 10 years later, they meet up in university but Taeil remembers everyone but Kun.
> 
> "Hi I am Moon Taeil, who are you? Have we met before?"
> 
> Kun can't help but wonder "Why can't he remember me?" as he fidgets with the airplane key chain on his keys.

Querencia 

(N.) a place from which one’s strength is drawn, where one feels at home; the place where you are your most authentic self. 

Kun rubs his tired eyes as he lets out an exhausted yawn, leaning back against the wall. He didn’t get a wink of sleep. He runs his hands through his face and whines when the lights of the viewing room hit his eyes a bit too harshly. Kun ended up staying up all night looking up different kinds of articles about Taeil’s accident and pacing around his and Sicheng’s shared bedroom, trying to wrap his mind around every single word he read and saw. 

He couldn’t find any of Taeil’s social media. All he found was the photo of Kun and Taeil when they were younger and a particular article. The article dated back 10 years ago when Taeil was still in the hospital. All the doctors knew was Taeil was hit by a drunk driver who lost control of their car, he couldn’t remember anything from that year, and there was an unnamed boy who was found on the site of the accident who they assumed was his friend. The doctors were extremely surprised by Taeil’s recovery but also puzzled. They couldn’t figure out why Taeil only forgot everything in that year, eventually just labeling it “temporary amnesia” at the end. They had no idea who the “friend” was and tried endlessly to reach the boy and his family to try to find answers but at the end gave up looking. Taeil was going through Recovered Memory Therapy (RMT) at the time. While he was making good progress, no amount of therapy helped him remember anything in the year of the accident, the accident itself, and the mystery boy drenched in Taeil’s blood cradling him tightly and desperately screaming Taeil's name and shaking him over and over. 

That mystery boy was Kun. 

Kun pulls up the picture he found last night and feels his heart clench as he traces his finger across the picture. He remembered taking this picture so well. Taeil and Kun were standing in front of the little garden in front of their old elementary school. Their class was planting a garden in their school and Kun and Taeil were in charge of planting the flowers. They both were wearing matching bucket hats and garden boots, blobs of different gaily colored flowers peeking prettily behind them. Taeil was hugging Kun and was laughing about something while Kun just smiled brightly, a flower tucked behind his ear and dirt-smudged against his right cheek. 

Kun sighed as he massaged his temples, trying to get rid of the impending headache. He was starting to regret his impulsive decision to stay up and not make coffee that morning. He turned off his phone as he heard the door open when a voice called out to him. 

“Kun?”

He looked up to see a sweaty and red-tinted Ten standing at the door. 

Kun was in the viewing room of the university’s dance studio, watching Sicheng and Ten practice. He only had one class that morning and decided to meet them at the studio so they can walk to lunch together afterward. He tried to brush away the sleepiness that was hitting him in waves as Ten sat next to him with a loud thud with a tired groan. 

“Hi”, Kun said softly as he looked down to see Ten lay down in his lap, sighing contentedly. 

Ten looked up and furrowed his eyebrows when he noticed Kun’s poorly concealed dark circles and slightly drooping eyes. He reaches up to poke Kun in the face. 

“Hello to you too. You sound tired”. 

Kun wearily sighs as he swats Ten’s hand gently, resulting in a pouting Ten in his lap. 

“I’m fine Tennie~ Why are you here though? Is practice already over”? 

Ten shakes his head as he sits up and looks at Kun. 

“We are taking a break right now and Sicheng is talking to someone on the phone so I felt that I needed to keep my old man some company”, he teases. 

Kun gives him a deadpanned look as he tries to hit Ten in the shoulder, only for the blonde to dodge it gracefully. Kun huffs as he wraps his sweater closer to himself as he looks back at the mirror, ignoring Ten’s crackling in the background. 

“I am only a little over a month older than you”.

“Yeah, but you act like you are a whole century older than me”. 

“I swear to god Ten I-”

They continue bickering for another 5 minutes before Ten’s laughter quiets down to a mere few chuckles. Heb reaches out to Kun’s hand and squeezes it. Kun looks at him in confusion when he sees Ten’s expression change to one of empathy and a bit of concern. 

“Kunnie, you need to take care of yourself”. 

Kun was taken back a bit by the sudden statement. He didn’t even say anything about him staying up all night and his internal dilemma with Taeil and it was like Ten almost just knew? Was he that obvious? Or was Ten just extremely smart and he is extremely dumb?

Before Kun could open his mouth and say something, Sicheng was calling for Ten so they could get back to practice. Ten yelled back “coming” as he got up and brushed himself off. He was at the door before he turned back to Kun and gave him a gentle smile. 

“I mean it. We are always here for you”, Ten says softly before he finally leaves and closes the door behind him, leaving Kun once again alone in the dusty and arenaceous viewing room. 

Silence engulfed the air for a minute before music softly played through the studio. The music glides through the air like a gentle dance as Kun watched Ten and Sicheng began to dance. Each of Ten’s apical yet gentle movements harmonized with Sicheng’s elegant yet accurate flow. Their limbs danced divinely around each other as their footsteps matched every click and beat of the music. It was like watching two cherry blossom petals dancing gracefully through the balmy Spring air. Each lyric told a fragment of a beautiful story, A story about two different sides, light and darkness, being faithful together by a red string. Two different kinds of dancers yet one story tied by destiny. 

Lonely (Billie Eilish and Khalid)

“Thought I found away  
Thought I found a way, yeah (found)  
But you never go away (never go away)  
So I guess I gotta stay now  
Oh, I hope someday I'll make it out of here  
Even if it takes all night or a hundred years  
Need a place to hide, but I can't find one near  
Wanna feel alive, outside I can fight my fear  
Isn't it lovely, all alone?  
Heart made of glass, my mind of stone  
Tear me to pieces, skin to bone  
Hello, welcome home”.  
Kun felt his eyes start to droop and grow heavy as he struggles to stay conscious. He tries to fight off the waves of sleepiness as the music in the background becomes muffle and his focus begins to blur by rubbing his eyes but to no success. Finally, after what seemed like a 10 minute battle with himself, he gives up and feels his eyes slowly close, succumbing to sleep. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Kun stirs from his deep slumber as he feels someone tap on his shoulder gently. He tries to rub the sleepiness to see who it was, expecting it to be either Sicheng or Ten.

However, it wasn't. 

Kun turns to see a stranger sitting next to him with a cup of coffee in one of his hands, the other one on Kun’s shoulder, smiling kindly at him. 

The stranger with dyed flame-red hair fell slightly above his eyebrows. There was a little rose-shaped scar right near his right eye. His jawline was as sharp as a knife. His face was flushed slightly as his fringe clung slightly to his forehead. There were two lines cut in his left eyebrow. The stranger was wearing a simple, overlarge, sleeveless black shirt tucked into a pair of ripped black skinny jeans. His sharp yet gentle dark brown eyes bored into Kun’s slightly unfocused, sleepy, and billowy eyes.

“Here, I feel like you need this”, said the stranger delicately as he handed the cup of coffee gingerly to Kun. 

Kun looked from the cup of coffee cautiously to a stranger, who simply widened his smile encouragingly, before he gratefully accepted it. He notices the soft white blanket that was draped over his body as he feels the coffee warm up his hands. He takes a sip of the hot bitter liquid, sighing contentedly when the caffeine hits the back of his throat. 

He turns to face the stranger and scratches his neck awkwardly, trying to hide the blush that was building on his cheeks due to the stranger’s strong gaze. 

“H-How long have I been asleep”?

The redhead grins before he adjusts the blanket on Kun’s shoulder and looks at him with an amiable glance. 

“About an hour or so”. 

Kun shots up as he looks at the time. 

2:00 PM  
Kun jumps up suddenly in a panic almost dropping the coffee in his hand, causing the stranger to jolt and look at him startled. Kun looks at the stranger with wide eyes as he tries to gather his stuff as quickly as possible. 

“Oh my god, I’m late! Where’s Sicheng and Ten? Did they already leave?”, Kun rambled quickly before the stranger grabbed his shoulder and guided him back to the chair, picking up the forgotten blanket and placing it on Kun’s lap. The stranger looked at him in slight amusement and worry as he tried to calm down the alarmed boy.

“Kun! Slow down! Sichengie and Tennie are in the changing room. We noticed that they fell asleep and Sicheng mentioned that you didn’t get enough sleep last night”. 

The stranger let out a breath of relief when Kun noticeably began to relax and slump back against the wall. He gently places his hand on Kun’s back and rubs comforting circles he continues quietly. 

“ You just seemed so comfortable, so we didn’t want to wake you up right away. They will come back in a few minutes”. 

Kun nods before he pauses and looks at the stranger’s dark brown eyes with confusion ebbing across his face. 

“I-I’m sorry if I sound rude, but h-how do you know my name”?

The stranger’s face changed from bewilderment to realization as he blushed and picked with the skin on his fingers in embarrassment. 

“Ah, I’m so sorry! I completely forgot to introduce myself”. 

“Hi, I’m Lee Taeyong”!

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

As Kun and Taeyong talk, Kun gets to know more about the redhead. Taeyong was slightly older than Kun and was a freshman as well. Taeyong has a very strong aura at first glance, making him almost intimidating. But behind it, he is extremely affectionate and rather gentle. He was a dance major like Ten and Sicheng and that’s how they met. He is dating someone who is a voice major and looks like a bunny. 

And……..

“My roommate and I are your neighbors”. 

Kun chokes on his coffee when he hears that statement. Taeyong thumps his back as Kun coughs violently. Kun gasps for air and wheezes as he looks at Taeyong in shock.   
“W-We are neighbors?! How come I never saw you or your roommate around?”, Kun sputters out as Taeyong chuckles lightly. 

“I have 8 am classes so I usually leave the dorms pretty early in the morning”. 

Kun grimaces in sympathy as Taeyong returns the expression and simply replies “I know right?” before he continues. 

“However, I’m pretty sure you know my roommate”. 

“Oh, who’s your roommate?”

“Moon Taeil”. 

Kun widened his eyes as his mouth hung slightly open, too shocked for words. 

God was playing a cruel game of faith with him huh?

Then he recalls the night that Taeil was standing in front of his and Sicheng’s dorm. He vividly remembers seeing the slightly shorter male look back at him with an inquisitive look disappear in the room next to him. He was so shaken up and emotional seeing Taeil that he never really registered for it until now. Taeil was a lot closer than he realized, literally a few footsteps away from. Faith was nice for that. But yet, Taeil felt like a distant memory he was trying to chase after and just keeps on making it harder for him. Faith was a bitch for that. 

“Kun? Did you hear me?”

A hand wave in front of him as Taeyong’s face appeared in his perspective. Kun quickly closes his mouth and clears his throat, shaking his head lightly as he tries to snap back to reality. 

“Sorry Taeyong-ssi, w-what did you say? S-Sorry, I spaced out”. 

The viewing room fills with Taeyong’s loud laughter as he claps Kun’s shoulder and squeezes it. 

“You don’t need to be so formal with me Kun. You can call me Taeyong Hyung”. 

Kun nods quietly before Taeyong continues to speak. 

“What I was saying was that I have a few friends coming over for dinner today around 8 PM. I was wondering if you, Sicheng, and Ten would like to join us? Just so we can get to know each other a bit better.” 

Kun nods quickly to cover up his lingering embarrassment and quietly says “We will be there. I’ll tell Sicheng and Ten”.   
Taeyong smiles as he gets up and stretches like a cat, letting out a little noise. A sudden crashing fills the air as both Kun and Taeyong quickly turn to see the source of the noise. 

Ten was giving Kun a cheeky smile and had Sicheng in a headlock. The latter was protesting loudly and cursing in mandarin as he tried to pry himself from Ten’s grasp. 

“放开我，您愚蠢的豆豆!” (LET GO OF ME, YOU STUPID STRING BEAN!)

“SAY YOU LOVE ME DONG SICHENG! OW! STOP PINCHING ME”. 

“决不！” (NEVER!) 

Kun looks at the both of them in horror as Taeyong giggles at the two. 

“Never able to catch a quiet moment with those two huh?”

Kun watches Sicheng escape Ten’s arms and push the Thai out of the way, yelling some more curses at him before he turns to Kun and waves at him enthusiastically. 

“Oh never”. 

Taeyong snickers softly as he adjusts his dance bag on his shoulder before he faces Kun and reaches out his hand. 

“It is nice to meet you, Kun. I’ll see you at 8?”

Kun reaches out to shake Taeyong’s slightly bigger hand, feeling his finger rings press slightly into his palm as Taeyong firmly grips his hand. 

“Of course Hyung”. 

Taeyong grins as he pats Kun’s hand and turns to leave before he looks over his shoulder at Kun one more time and smirks subtly. 

“I have a feeling like we are going to see each other more often”. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Kun picks at his Caesar Chicken Salad as he feels his jacket pocket vibrate. He digs his hand into his pocket and retrieves his phone. A little message popped up on his screen as he bites back a smile. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

From Moon Taeil (문태일): 

Hello Kun! Are we good at 3:30 PM? Do you want to meet in practice room 1? 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

To Moon Taeil (문태일): 

Yeah, I am still good for 3:30 and meeting in the practice room :)

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

From Moon Taeil (문태일): 

Awesome! See You at 3:30 Kun! (◕∇◕✿)

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

Kun feels his cheeks heat up as he looks at Taeil’s little emoji with a growing smile. His fingers ghost over the keyboard before he started to type a reply. However before he was about to hit send, a shadow was cast over him as little blond hair tickled his nose. 

“Who’s Taeil?”, Ten teases annoyingly as Kun tries to shove his phone back in his pocket and huffs. 

“My partner for a Musicology project”, Kun says as he emphasizes the “partner” when he watches Ten’s smile evilly grow bigger. 

“Really? Are you sure?”, Ten deadpanned as he reaches over to steal some of Sicheng’s food. 

Sicheng slaps Ten’s hand as the latter pouts and mumbles something along the lines of “so mean”. 

“Y-Yes, I am sure”, Kun stammers as he tries to cover up the blush that was darkening on his face. 

Ten cocks his eyebrow as he glares at Kun with his light brown, feline-like eyes. Kun turns away to see Sicheng giggling discreetly into his hand. Kun looks at the two confusingly as they begin to bicker with each other. Was he missing something?  
“Kun, no one blushes and smiles like a love-sick puppy when they are texting their PLATONIC Musicology partner”, Ten teases as he watches Kun turn different shades of red. 

“N-No, it’s not that!”, Kun squeaks as he tries to hide his very obvious blush. 

“Awwww~ look how flustered our old man is”, Ten sings teasingly as Kun slumps back and groans into Sicheng’s shoulder, trying to hide his linger embarrassment. 

“I DON’T LIKE HIM TEN”, Kun sputters unconvincingly as he tries to throw a plastic fork at Ten, only causing it to bounce off Ten’s chair and flop onto the floor. Sicheng gave him a knowing glance as Ten snickers loudly. 

“Okay, Kunnie~ whatever you say~”. 

Kun grumbles, cursing Ten under his breath as he straightens up and picks at his now soggy salad with a spoon. He wasn’t exactly telling the truth but one little white lie is okay, right?

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

FLASHBACK 

Kun scooped out a pile of Green Tea powder and threw it into a metal bowl as he heard Taeil singing in the background. He stirs the concoction in front of him as it turns into a minty greenish color. The smell of sweet and luscious cakes baking in the oven and tingles of Green Tea filled the air. The buzzing of the oven and Taeil’s alluring vocals harmonized together as Kun smiled to himself when Taeil hit a particularly high note. 

“Gege, you have a nice voice”, Kun says over his shoulder as he sprinkles sugar into the icing. Taeil blushed profusely as he fans himself. 

“Thank you Kunnie~”, Taeil mumbles shyly as he wraps his hands around Kun’s torso and buries his face into his shoulder, inhaling the lingering smell of green tea and K un’s body wash. Cinnamon and warm vanilla.

Kun giggles as he feels Taeil’s hair tickle the nape of his ear. Taeil grins as he moves next to Kun’s side and notices the smudge of cake batter on his cheek. He presses his thumb gently against Kun’s cheek, causing the younger to squeal and squirm. 

“Stay still”, Taeil chastises with no malice in his voice as he swipes the cake batter off of Kun’s face. Kun blushes as he quietly thanks Taeil. He felt his heart thumping hard against his chest and touched his chest with his powdered-cover hands, turning his burning face away from Taeil’s dark brown, lynx-like eyes. 

Taeil had a smug smile on his face as he watched Kun’s ears turn bright red that was slightly hidden behind his fluffy back hair and mumble something in mandarin. He felt a warm feeling hug him as he watched the younger out on a pair of oven mitts and move toward the oven. 

Taeil is usually extremely shy and couldn’t even dare to start singing and dancing in front of people. But Kun was different. Like the cinnamon and warm vanilla scent that has become characteristic of the younger, Kun was like green tea: sweet, tepid, oceanic, and just simply nostalgic. He was Taeil’s strength and home away from home. He was able to be his most authentic self when he was side to side with Kun. Just standing next to him makes him feel so safe and protected. 

“我爱你坤”, Taeil says quietly in broken mandarin as he watches Kun do a little dance when he begins to ice the cake. However, he was not aware that Kun caught on to his words and was gently smiling with his back to Taeil. 

“我也爱你哥哥”, Kun whispers back softly as he bites back a smile. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

Kun hums as he finishes packing his bag as he zips it up and hoists it over his shoulder. He was about ready to leave to meet Taeil when he heard a scream. He rushes out of his and Sicheng shared room and accidentally bangs his knee against the door. Cursing and rubbing his knee, he stumbles into the living room to see Sicheng top of the couch, cowered in the corner with his hand clenching painfully tight around his phone. 

“GEGE THERE’S A SPIDER, HELP ME!”, Sicheng screeches as he points at the wall. Kun turns to see a tiny spider crawling up the wall. Kun sighs exasperatedly as he goes to grab the nearest book to hit the spider. 

A raucous sound echoes through the room as Sicheng yelps. Kun bends down to pick up the now-dead spider with a tissue and throws it away. 

Sicheng uncurls from his little ball and slightly uncovers his eyes as he cranes his neck cautiously at Kun when he returns. 

“Is it dead Kun-ge?”,Sicheng says timidly as Kun shakes his head fondly. 

“Yes Sichengie, it’s dead”. 

Sicheng visibly relaxes as he uncovers his face completely and slouches back, groaning into the couch. Kun chuckles at the younger antics as he sits next to him, stroking his arm comfortably. 

“Some things never change”, Kun thinks admirably as he recalls all the memories of a younger Sicheng running behind him every time a bug or spider came into sight, calling out to his gege to “save him”. Same old Sicheng. 

They sit in a comforting and soothing silence for a few minutes before Sicheng speaks up again in a slightly nervous tone. 

“Hey Kun-Ge, I have something to tell you”. 

“So do I, Sicheng”. 

“Let’s say it together in three”. 

“Okay”. 

“3…….2…..1”. 

“RENJUN LIKES YANGYANG”!

“YANGYANG LIKES RENJUN”!

“WHAT?!?”

They both look at each other dumbfounded. 

Well shit. Okay. Wow. 

Kun was not expecting that whatsoever. He is completely speechless as his brain went numb in shock. So was Sicheng by the way his eyes bulged out of his sockets and his dropped jaw, looking like a deer in the headlights. Kun is the first one to break out of his stoop when he sputters and shakes his head almost comically. 

“O-Our cousins like each other Cheng”. 

Sicheng imitates begins to giggle which turns into loud clueless laughter which then turns into sudden realization. 

“Oh wow. Gege they do. Oh my god. OH MY GOD! GEGE! Our baby cousins like each other!”, he says excitedly and bounces up and down in elation at the idea as Kun beams brightly. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

They talk for a bit about their cousins and their budding romance between the two when Kun remembers that he has to meet Taeil. He bid Sicheng farewell as he walked out of the residential hall and toward the music building. Kun feels the lukewarm summer air ruffle through his hair as he tries to push away the sudden nervousness taking over his body. He fans himself and he felt himself begin to sweat profusely as he shrugs off his tan cardigan. He felt his heart thump sickly against his chest and he felt breathing constrict. Why was he so nervous? It’s just Taeil. He used to never be so nervous about seeing Taeil when they were younger, why now? He wrings his hands tightly as he breathes out anxiously. 

Then again, it's been 10 years since he saw him and Taeil doesn’t even remember him. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

3:30 rolls around as Kun knocks on the door. No reply follows as he tries again to no avail. He opens the door carefully and walks into the empty music room labeled “Practice Room 1”, turning on the light. His footsteps echo against the sound walls of the empty room with an array of instruments and microphones scatter around the room. He spots a grand piano in the corner of the room. Curiosity got the best of him as he placed his backpack against the frame of the piano and traced the wooden exterior, tracing a line through the accumulating dust. It has been almost 5 years since he has played such an elegant piano like this one as he got used to the portable keyboard he has in his dorm room.

He lifts the cover of the piano as the dust springs and flies everywhere. Kun coughs as he sits down on the piano branch. His fingers intrinsically ghost over the glossy and cooling black and white key, feeling each ridge kiss against his fingertips. He pushes the piano pedal delicately as it creaks weakly. He cracks his fingers as he presses on a few keys, a melodic sound radiating beautifully from the instrument. He exhales quietly as he glides his hands over the keys and begins to play. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

Taeil pants heavily as he runs up the stairs of the music building. He clenches his side as he gasps painfully. He pulls out his phone to check out the time.

3:45 PM. 

He curses himself as he enters the building. He spent way too long choosing an outfit and pursuing himself that he looks just fine while Taeyong laughed at him. No, he is not trying to impress Kun. At least he likes to thinks so.

He straightens out his sunset orange sweater as he brushes his fingers through his untamed hair restlessly. Taeil turns the corner and begins to head toward the practice room. Someone’s singing and the sound of a piano being played suddenly broke through the silence of the seemingly empty hallway. Taeil quietly approaches closer to the source until he stops in front of the door labeled “Practice Room 1”. 

Taeil snakes his head around the slightly cracked door quietly and feels his breath gets caught in his throat. The scene in front of him was heart-stopping to say the very least. 

Kun was dressed in a thin, snow-white turtleneck that was tucked loosely in a pair of skinny black jeans, a woolen tan cardigan was tied around his hips. His eyes were closed as his eyelashes caressed around a pair of golden, circular frames elegantly on the bridge of his nose. Kun was singing something softly as his fingers glided through the piano gracefully as his rings flash brightly under the room’s light. Taeil could only describe Kun’s voice as the voice of angels that greet you at the gateways of heaven. It was soft-spoken and modulated silvery yet so beautifully rotund. There was something familiar about his voice. It had longing and ache of emotion for a missing soulmate, in the hope of finding them one day. Taeil listens to the words that Kun was singing. 

Face to Face (WayV)

“In every fight, we're not afraid to get injured.  
But we're still children at heart.  
Every time we say we don't care if it's right or wrong.  
It’s wrong to pour out the soul.  
A colorful future hasn't arrived yet.  
Please wait a little longer.  
Reach out your hand and you'll get love.

Speak quietly,  
Come closer  
Until we meet face to face.  
Listen carefully,  
Hug sincerely  
And your dreams will come true.

I'll be a little more patient  
And come a little closer.  
I am waiting to meet you face to face.”

Kun finishes as he sighs softly as he slumps back, his hands going slack against the piano keys. He blinks away the tears that build up as he finally opens his eyes. Kun uses to play this song all the time with Taeil when he was first learning how to play the piano. He hasn’t played that song since Taeil’s accident, it was a near miracle he even remembered what the song sounded like.

A soft clapping filled the room as Kun furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. 

“You have a beautiful voice Kun”. 

Kun turned around rapidly and gasped harshly as he jumped out of his seat in fright and accidentally slammed his elbows against the piano, causing it to ring horribly across the room. 

Taeil was standing there clapping with a soft smile and clapping slowly. Kun clutches his chest as he breathes unevenly as he turns red.

Was he standing there the whole time?

His worst nightmares were confirmed when Taeil stride toward him and sets his backpack next to Kun’s. Taeil slides next to him on the small bench, bumping shoulders with Kun. Taeil warmly smiles as he watches the breeze blow Kun’s bangs out of his face, revealing the little mole above his right eye and his light brown, doe-like eyes behind his glasses. Taeil felt his heart thump loudly and his stomach flutters as he watched the younger avoid his eye contact shyly. 

“Are you ready to start Kun?”

Kun finally looked into Taeil’s dark brown, lynx-like eyes glittering mysteriously under the fluorescent lights as he felt himself get lost in his eyes. He suddenly remembers about the project and slaps himself back to reality to reply to Taeil’s question. 

“Yeah, let’s get started Taeil-Ge”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adulthood is like looking both ways on a road before getting hit by a damn airplane. 
> 
> Hi everyone! I am back. Sorry for the delay of today's chapter. I am feeling a lot better (besides the fact like my neck is wrapped up because I did a stupid stunt while practicing for Taekwondo tryouts ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ but that's not important lol). To make up for the delay, this chapter is a longer one. 
> 
> Thank you guys so much for being patient with me. I hope you enjoy today's chapter!
> 
> -ASC ❀◐⌣◐


	9. Chapter 8: Eunoia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hi, I’m Moon Taeil. You can call me Taeil hyung if you want to” Taeil introduces softly, almost like he read Kun’s mind. Kun cocked his head to the side like a lost puppy.
> 
> “T-Taiyi G-Ge?”
> 
> Moments of silences passed by when Kun suddenly spoke up in a quivering voice
> 
> “I’m Kunnie”
> 
> He looks in his bag for a small little airplane keychain he got from the prize box. Kun liked airplanes right? He extends his arm and offers the keychain as he smiles.
> 
> “Nice to meet you, Kunnie. Let’s be friends!”
> 
> Or Kun and Taeil were best friends until a huge accident, causing Taeil to have temporary Amnesia. They swore they would get married and always be soulmates forever. Now 10 years later, they meet up in university but Taeil remembers everyone but Kun.
> 
> "Hi I am Moon Taeil, who are you? Have we met before?"
> 
> Kun can't help but wonder "Why can't he remember me?" as he fidgets with the airplane key chain on his keys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: IMPORTANT MESSAGE BELOW FOR READERS!!!!

Eunoia 

(N.) Beautiful thinking, A good mind. 

Taeil’s floral-scented cologne suffocated Kun as he mindlessly looked at the mess of notes under his pencil. The continuous clicking of Taeil’s keyboard filled the room with the scratching of Kun’s pencil, creating an idosyntriac harmony. He peers at Taeil’s fingers grace over his keyboard, sticking his tongue out a bit when he pauses to take a sip from his coffee. The air of the practice room grew uncomfortably warm as Taeil’s shoulder grazed against his. 

He totally didn't forget that he was in a practice room working on a school project. 

Taeil finishes what he is typing and turns to Kun, radiating a soft smile against his lips. Kun felt his heartbeat erratically against his chest as he stared at the elder's glossy lips.

Nope, not at all. 

He felt his face burn fiercely as he tried to fight off his ongoing blush creeping on his face as he mentally slapped himself. 

“Focus. Focus. FOCUS”. 

“Kun? You okay?”

Kun snaps out of his thoughts as he looks at Taeil and sputters slightly.

“H-Huh? Y-Yeah, I’m good. Why”? 

Taeil scrunched his eyebrows and looked at Kun innocently like a curious baby lynx, completely unaware of Kun’s internal dilemma. 

“Your face is all red. Is it too hot?”

Kun wants to melt into the ground into a puddle of embarrassment and stay there forever. He feels himself going even redder than he already was as he tries to discreetly fan himself. Kun vigorously shakes his head, avoiding the elder’s dark brown, lynx-like eyes. How can the older man ask him that so innocently when he is the reason why Kun is a blushing mess?  
“A-Anyway, what were you saying before Ge?”, Kun frantically stutters as he tries to change the topic away from his crimson cheeks. 

Taeil watches Kun try, but horribly fail, to hide his face behind his sweater paws and flail around in slight embarrassment, stuttering over his own words winsomely and completely avoiding his questions. He unknowingly smiles watching the younger’s antics. 

“Cute”. 

Taeil mentally shakes his head and straightens up quickly as he tries to ignore his pounding heart, turning his computer toward Kun. He clicks on a file a few times before it appears on the screen. Kun gasps slightly in awe as his eyes travel across the varying notes and staff bars with quickly typed notes on the side. Taeil highlighted the first line, giggling slightly at Kun’s widened eyes before turning serious. 

“I was thinking about doing a mellow, gentle yet powerful, melodious-like ballad”. 

Kun nods as he hums in agreement. He shuffles around the piles of papers in front of him before he finds the paper he was brainstorming on earlier. He slides it closer to Taeil. Taeil scoots closer to Kun to look at the paper, his hair brushing softly against him. He could hear Taeil’s gentle breathing contrast with his racing heart against his ribcage. He bites his lip nervously as he watches Taeil read his notes before he speaks up. 

“I-I agree. I think we should keep it simple with a 4/4 time signature and C major key signature and focus more on the different kinds of instrumentals, the lyrics, and the message behind it”.

Taeil simply nods as his finger traces over Kun’s hurried handwriting, following and reading each line and curve, smiling at the little random scribbles and drawings until he pauses on a section of his notes. They were lyrics that were scratched out heavily but he was able to somehow differentiate what the words were. 

Coming Home (Sung by NCT127 Taeil, Doyoung, Haechan, Jaehyun)

“My time is frozen  
To when I turned around from you as you cried  
I didn’t even say  
The last goodbye  
But you told me to come back  
And rest anytime when I get tired”  
Taeil feels his breath gets caught in his throat as he finishes the last word. He rereads it over and over again, each lyric tattooing into his head. Taeil looks at Kun, looking into the younger’s chocolate brown, doe-like eyes, studying the Chinese’s anatomy. There was something about Kun that Taeil found so mysterious. So intriguing. It was like he was wearing a broken mask behind his gentle and soft-spoken facade. An untold story he is just waiting to tell. However, rather than being drawn away from him, he is like a firefly with a light.   
He wants to know more about Qian Kun. 

“Why did you scratch these lyrics out”, Taeil asks quietly. 

Kun scratches the back of his neck sheepishly as he flushes slightly. 

“I-I didn’t think they were good enough”, he said shyly as he picked at the skin of his thumb, avoiding Taeil’s eyes. 

Taeil smiles softly as he prays apart his hands from hurting himself any further and lightly squeezes them. The younger looks up in surprise as he watches the light reflect prettily against Taeil’s dark brown orbs. The warmth of Taeil’s hand washes over his slightly cold ones, his thumb smoothening over the spot he was picking at earlier. He may be exaggerating but if magic existed, he swore he felt the sparks people talk about when they meet their soulmate.

“Hey, don’t say that. I really like the lyrics. They are perfect for the composition”, Taeil said warmly. Nostalgia bloomed in Kun’s chest achingly as memories of their forgotten past flood past him like a tsunami. 

“He is still the same Moon Taeil from 10 years ago”, Kun thought fondly. Even though they are basically now strangers who met under some fucked up faith, Taeil was always someone to be kind to anything that breathes even when they were best friends. He always put others in front of him, even if his life was at risk. 

Quite literally.

That is Moon Taeil for you. 

His kind, gentle, amicable, hard-working Gege.

“Thank you Gege”, Kun said very quietly before he could stop himself as he bites back the smile threatening to come out. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

2 hours went by when they finally decided to call it a day. Taeil hummed happily as he started to put his stuff away in his bag. Kun gets up from his seat and arches his back like a cat, groaning softly as he feels his back pop loudly. He peaks up at the clock sitting in front of them. 

5:45 PM. 

Kun sighs softly as he walks toward the piano to grab his backpack. He has to get ready for dinner today. He fastened his backpack over his shoulders and balanced his cardigan against his forearms. Kun unlocked his phone to see a few messages from Sicheng and Ten asking where he was. He turned off his phone and was about to bid Taeil goodbye when he felt someone tap on his shoulder timidly. He turns to see the latter nervously bouncing on the soles of his feet and twirling his phone dangerously in his hands. 

“A-Are you heading out?”

“Yeah Ge, I have to get back to my dorm and get ready for something”. 

Taeil pauses briefly as bites his bottom lip and adjusts the backpack strap falling limply off his shoulder. He sighs anxiously before he starts talking again shyly. 

“Since you are heading back to the dorms, may I walk with you”? 

Kun was taken aback by the elder’s words. He looked at the nervous boy fidgeting his sleeves like a schoolboy asking his crush out. Kun felt his heart tingle and melt slightly at the sight. He forgot for a moment about the dinner he had to get ready for and a waiting Sicheng and Ten. He decides to risk it as he nods silently and smiles gently, walking forward and places his hand on Taeil’s arm, causing the elder to gasp in surprise.

“Let’s go Taeil Ge”. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

FLASHBACK 

Kun cringes as he hits the wrong note on the piano for what seemed like the 1000th time that day and sighs frustratedly at himself. He slumps back and drops his forehead against the keys, causing them to ring out raucously.   
Kun has been learning piano with Taeil lately. He was preparing to play a piece for the Winter Talent Show at their school, much to Taeil’s convincing. They have been meeting up every day after school in the little, dusty, abandoned practice room in their school. However, he was currently struggling with a particular part of the piece. No matter how many times he plays the part, he keeps on messing up. 

“Gege! This is too hard!”, Kun wails at Taeil and he mops against the keys of the piano facedown. 

Taeil quietly slides off the music chair he was sitting on and slides next to Kun wordlessly, bumping shoulders with the younger lightly. Taeil giggles softly at Kun’s antics as he strokes his hand through the younger’s lustrous hair. He can hear Kun mumble something along the lines of “I hate this” and Taeil smiles softly as he pokes Kun’s protruding cheek. 

“Kunnie~ You said that last time too. Come on, try one more time-”, Taeil teases but is interrupted by some quiet sniffling to fill the room, Taeil immediately panics and feels his heart drop to his stomach. He places his hand on Kun’s mid-back and starts to rub comforting circles as he tries to calm the younger. 

“Kun? Hey, what's wrong? Can you please look at Gege for me?”. 

After some coaxing and some sweet reassurances later, Kun lifts his head from the keyboard miserably and Taeil coos.

Kun’s face was blotchy and there were fresh tears pooling in his reddening and swollen eyes. The younger had imprints from laying on the piano keys and his cheeks were rosy and puffed out cutely. His lips were in a permanent pout as he looked down at his lap, avoiding Taeil’s concerned looks he was throwing at him. 

Even when Kun was crying and red in the face, Taeil thought he was really adorable. 

Taeil places his hand gently under Kun’s chin and gently lifts it, making eye contact with the younger’s chocolate brown, doe-like, watering eyes. Taeil softly places his thumbs and wipes away Kun’s tears, frowning when he notices the drying tear tracks plastered on the younger’s cheeks. 

“Kun, what’s wrong”, Taeil asks quietly as he continues to thumb away the younger’s dripping tears falling into his palms. 

“I-I can’t do this Gege. I-I-I keep on messing up over and over again and I don’t think I'm good enough”, Kun croaks weakly. 

Taeil felt his heart shatter hearing the younger’s words. 

“Oh Kun, don’t say that”. 

Kun feels Taeil pull him into a tight hug and he melts into the older’s warmth. Taeil shushes the younger’s whimpers and quietly comforts him as he runs his hand up and down his back, feeling the younger heave harshly against his chest. 

They stay like that for a while before the younger eventually calms down. He lifts the younger’s head softly and balances it between his palms.

“Kunnie, You are more than good enough and it's okay to make mistakes. I know it’s hard but you can’t give up! Don’t be so down on yourself baobei”, Taeil says quietly as he looks warmly at Kun and squishes Kun’s cheeks, giggling at the latter’s quiet protests before he continues. 

“Why don’t we try one more time? Just one more time and we can go home. Okay”?, Taeil finishes kindly with a slight tone of hope. He watches Kun’s eyebrows scrunch slightly together as he thinks for a bit before he nods shyly and speaks up. 

“Okay Taiyi-Ge”. 

Taeil smiles and pats the younger’s cheek affectionately Kun turns to face the piano and reaches out the music sheets staring back at him. He licks the edge of his finger and flips to the fourth page. He reads the little notes he messing scribbled on the side before placing his fingers on the keyboard. 

He gasped when he felt a pair of balmy arms wrap around underneath his snuggly. Someone moved his hands to the right position and their warm breath tickled the back of his neck, causing him to shiver slightly. The person laughs as He can hear the person whisper something in his ear. 

“Gege, what are you doi-”

“Let’s start from the last line before the chorus. Start slowly and pick up the pace when you feel ready to”. 

Kun immediately knew what Taeil's motives were. He takes a deep breath and pushes the piano petal before he starts to play as both him and Taeil begin to sing together. 

Face to Face (WayV) 

“Wounds will heal in a few days.  
Silence is more like your lonely cry.  
No, oh, oh, oh, no, oh, oh, oh.  
You're not alone, I assure you.

Speak quietly,  
Come closer  
Until we meet face to face.  
Listen carefully,  
Hug sincerely  
And your dreams will come true.

I can hide you at the edge of the world.  
You don’t have to overcome difficulties alone.  
Because you have me. You're not alone.

I will not leave you alone  
And silently heal your wounds”. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

The slightly cooling breeze of the evening wind ruffled Taeil’s hair as he and Kun walked together. The sound of their matching footsteps echoed through the asphalt radiated slightly. The buzzing of cicadas sings quietly behind them. The cherry blossom trees swayed slightly as they sprinkle petals across the campus. 

They talk for a bit to fill up the silence between them. It wasn’t awkward though. It was like speaking to an old friend who he hasn’t seen in a while. Taeil learns that he and Kun had a lot in common. They both had a passion for music and the performing arts. They both prefer sweet stuff over savory. They both like R&B and like to listen to music during their free time. 

They talk about their childhood memories. Kun giggles over Taeil’s failed attempt to make breakfast for Mother’s day and ended up burning a hole in the pan. Taeil doubles over in laughter as Kun goes into detail about a particular painting in his house that used to scare him when he was younger and make him cry so much that his parents had to hide it. 

“One day, I accidentally found it while I was looking for something and I just ran away crying”, Kun pouts cutely as Taeil wheezes, resulting in the younger to slap him in the shoulder and whine. 

Taeil eventually composes himself as a comfortable quietness hugged them for a few minutes. Kun watches the wind rumple through Taeil’s hair gently, causing a piece to stick out superbly. Kun adjusts his glasses to hide his blush as he resists the urge to reach out and adjust the little strand.

He watches Taeil ponder about something before turning to face him, biting his lip shyly as if he has something to say. 

“Kun? May I ask you something”?

“Sure Gege”. 

“The lyrics you wrote earlier. Were they about someone”? 

Kun widens his eyes and looks at him in shock, his breath caught in his throat. His heartache painfully as he unconsciously clutched it. Taeil doesn’t know that the lyrics were about him and that was what hurt Kun the most about writing them. He was writing about a once requested love and faith that was broken. He forces himself to take a breath before he speaks up.

“Yeah, A once really close friend of mine. I used to move around a lot when I was younger so we lost touch once I left”, Kun trails off, keeping his focus at his feet. He wasn’t exactly lying. 

Taeil hum before he realizes something else. He looks down at Kun’s bag. Almost like on cue, the petals from the nearest cherry blossom tree showered them in delicate pinkish-reddish fronds. 

“Is this the same friend who gave you the airplane keychain”?

Kun grimaces as he chuckles bitterly, looking at it briefly. He keeps his eyes down as he kicks a pebble on the sidewalk. He nods simply as he tries to keep his emotions at bay. 

“You must really miss him”, Taeil suddenly says sympathetically and innocently, unaware of Kun’s misty eyes. Kun takes a shaky breath as he finally looks at the said “very close friend”. Taeil was standing right in front of him after 10 years of wondering where he is but there was a part in his heart that throbs of nostalgia. He’s here physically but he still misses him so badly. A beautiful mind that once imagines a life with someone forever was the same mind who erase every part of them. As if they don't exist.

“Y-Yeah”, he says, his voice breaking emotionally. 

Kun felt someone stop him and wrap a pair of strong, warm yet familiar arms wrap their arms around his shoulder and hug him. He felt circles being rubbed on his upper back as he inhales the warm vanilla and cinnamon aroma radiate off of the person. His heartfelt like it was about to explode of anxiety and nostalgia. They stayed like that Kun turns his head over his shoulder and looks at Taeil questioningly. It was like Taeil understood completely even though they didn’t say anything. 

“You seem like you needed a hug”, Taeil says simply as he smiles softly. Taeil felt Kun’s hand brush against his and he blushed lightly as the younger fully embraced him. He gasps slightly but nonetheless tightens his arms around him. He feels Kun’s dig closer to the elder’s chest and breath out brokenly. Taeil felt his heart flip as he nestles closer to him, 

Kun didn’t know what got over him. He and Taeil aren’t even friends anymore. The person in front of him only saw him as a regular kid who happens to attend NCT College and happens to be working on a project with him. Taeil doesn’t remember anything from 10 years ago but he just couldn’t help it. Even after 10 years, this was his same short gege with messy black hair with his big glasses who saved him from the bullies who made Kun’s life a living hell. The same kind and gentle gege who promised to marry him under the cherry blossom tree near the pond. He has waited 10 years to be back in his Taiyi-Ge's arms. 

Even though they are complete strangers now. 

“Thank you Taeil Ge”. 

They stay like that for a bit while the sounds of the cherry blossom branches swaying comfort them. Taeil pulls away and notices a little flower petal resting on his hair. Without thinking, he reaches out and removes it, revealing the little mole above Kun’s right eyebrow. Kun blushes when Taeil’s finger brushes against his face. 

“Sorry you had something in your hair”, Taeil mumbled bashing as Kun’s heart pounded against his ribcage and his mind started racing with different kinds of thoughts. 

Kun’s phone suddenly rings out loudly as Kun jumps slightly and looks down. It was Ten calling him. Kun groans loudly. He can almost hear Ten’s questioning from here. 

“We should probably head back now”, Taeil says teasingly as he bites back a smile when he watches Kun frown childishly and types fiercely at his phone. 

He huffs in annoyance as Taeil snickers discreetly behind his hand. 

"God fucking damn it Ten". 

Kun thinks to himself miserably as they continue to walk back to the dorm together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Everyone!
> 
> I hope everyone is doing okay and taking care of themselves during these crazy times. I apologize for the notably shorter chapter today. I have been getting ready to move in to college ( I am a rising freshman this fall). I just wanted to post something before I move in . 
> 
> With that being said, since I am starting school this week, I will not be able to upload as much :((( What my writing and upload schedule looks like is I will be working and uploading on the weekends and whenever I find the chance to do so! 
> 
> HOWEVER! I did something~ I created a twitter! I will be uploading updates, ideas, writing blurbs, art, and much more on that account. I will try to be as active as I can on that account. If you are on twitter, please stop by and say hi! I would love to meet you~
> 
> My twitter is @ASugaCookie1 and my handle is A_Suga_Cookie (Just like my AO3). 
> 
> Until the next chapter, See you soon :)  
> -ASC


	10. Chapter 9: Decalcomania

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hi, I’m Moon Taeil. You can call me Taeil hyung if you want to” Taeil introduces softly, almost like he read Kun’s mind. Kun cocked his head to the side like a lost puppy.
> 
> “T-Taiyi G-Ge?”
> 
> Moments of silences passed by when Kun suddenly spoke up in a quivering voice
> 
> “I’m Kunnie”
> 
> He looks in his bag for a small little airplane keychain he got from the prize box. Kun liked airplanes right? He extends his arm and offers the keychain as he smiles.
> 
> “Nice to meet you, Kunnie. Let’s be friends!”
> 
> Or Kun and Taeil were best friends until a huge accident, causing Taeil to have temporary Amnesia. They swore they would get married and always be soulmates forever. Now 10 years later, they meet up in university but Taeil remembers everyone but Kun.
> 
> "Hi I am Moon Taeil, who are you? Have we met before?"
> 
> Kun can't help but wonder "Why can't he remember me?" as he fidgets with the airplane key chain on his keys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT NOTES AT THE END!  
> TW: Bleeding, if you get triggered easily by this. Your mental health comes first! please skip and I hope you enjoy the rest of today's chapter!
> 
> Twitter: A_Suga_Cookie1 or just A_Suga_Cookie
> 
> -ASC ❀◐⌣◐

Decalcomania

(N.) The art or process of transferring pictures and designs from specially prepared paper (as to glass). 

Taeil inserts his key into the doorknob, turning it until the distinct click rings softly and the door creaks open. He slides in and closes the door quietly as the savory aroma of different spices fills his nostrils. He tiptoes his shoes off as he walks toward the source. Taeil stops and finds himself in front of the kitchen. 

Taeyong currently had his face buried into a pot of something and was stirring vigorously as his large, circular glasses steamed up. Multiple cooking books were scattered around the earthenware countertop as Taeyong wipes the sweat off his forehead with a kitchen towel, murmuring something under his breath.

Taeil shakes his head fondly as he drops his backpack against a chair and leans against the counter. He taps his fingers against the counter, watching Taeyong hum quietly as he chops some carrots finely. 

“Taeyong?”

Taeyong jumps slightly in fright and yelps loudly. He turns and points the knife in his right hand at the sudden intruder, realizing it was only Taeil. He groans as he clutches his chest dramatically. Taeil yelp as he raises his hands in surrender, backing away from the sharp object point directly at him

“HYUNG, DON’T SCARE ME LIKE THAT!, Taeyong whines loudly as he scolds Taeil, waving and jerking the knife in his hand rather violently at Taeil. 

“OKAY, OKAY! I AM SORRY! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY, STOP WAVING THAT KNIFE AT ME”!

Taeyong sticks his tongue and gives Taeil a glare, rolling his eyes before returning back to cutting the vegetables in front of him. Taeil sighs in relief as he observes Taeyong pick up the picking board and slide the vegetables into the cooking pot with the knife. Taeil suddenly feels something soft rub against his leg and looks down to see Louis nuzzling and meowing softly, looking up at him expectantly. 

He smiles softly as he reaches down and scratches behind the feline’s wooly ear. 

“What’s the occasion Yong?”, Taeil asks curiously as he plops down onto the floor next to Louis. He adjusts Louis’s askew collar gently and strokes the feline’s absentmindedly while the kitten happily prances into his lap and purrs loudly, rubbing his nose against Taeil’s sweater. 

Taeyong glances one more time at the convocation before him before placing a glass lid over the boiling pot and turning down the heat. He wipes his hands on to Taeil quizzingly and raises his eyebrow. 

“Did you already forget? The others are coming over for dinner today at 8PM”. 

Taeyong could basically hear the cogs turn in Taeil’s head around what he just said. Taeyong chuckle as he watched Taeil finally widen his eyes slightly as he gapes his mouth slightly in realization.

“I guess old age is catching up to Hyungie~”, Taeyong teases as he sits next to Taeil and reaches over to pet a sleeping Louis melting happily in Taeil's lap. 

“I’m not old!”, Taeil pouts in mock anger and protests loudly as Taeyong chuckles quietly, careful to not wake up the sleeping feline. 

Taeil glares at Taeyong and sticks his tongue out childishly, only causing the latter to snicker, even more, trying to avoid Taeyong’s infamous slaughter slaps. They sit in comfortable silence for a while before Taeyong speaks up again, fiddling with the cloth of his cardigan. 

“I invited some other people over as well, is that okay with you Hyung?”, Taeyong asked cautiously, watching for Taeil’s reaction. Taeil nods slowly before answering. 

“Yeah it’s cool. We may just have to lock Louis in my room for tonight just to be safe”. 

He pauses as Louis moves slightly and snuggles deeper into Taeil, mewling quietly. He cooed softly at the kitten. He looks back at Taeyong archaically before continuing. 

“Who is it, Yong?”

Before Taeyong could even open his mouth and answer the question, Taeyong’s phone rings harshly. He gets up quickly and runs to the kitchen to see who is calling him, He picks up his phone and looks at the name flashing on the screen before smiling goofily and answering it. 

“Hi Baby~ Huh? What did Yuta do? Doie, calm down ba-. NO DOYOUNG! YOU CAN’T CUT YUTA’S HAIR WHILE HE’S ASLEEP! KIM DONGYOUNG, PUT DOWN THE SCISSORS!!

Taeil chuckles as he leans back comfortably against the wall, shaking his head fondly. 

“Young love”, he thought lazily as he closed his eyes, his eyelids growing sleepy as he listened to Louis’s deep breathing and the background noise of soft music playing from Taeyong’s radio. Just as he was able to fall asleep though, he felt something vibrate in his pocket. He digs into his pocket to pull out his phone and answers it without looking at the contact. 

“Hello?” 

“HI TAEILIE HYUNG! WHY DIDN’T YOU ANSWER MY CALLS EARLIER?”

Taeil looks at his phone to see about 20 missed calls from the said caller groans internally. He was so busy with his musicology project and Kun that he didn’t check his phone all day. He rubs his forehead tiredly, trying to get rid of the impending headache awaiting him. 

“Sorry Hyukie, Hyung was busy with work. Why did you call? Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”

“It’s a teacher workday so we didn’t have a school day. I hung out with Mark, Renjun, and Yangyang and we went to the skatepark we use to go there when we were younger!”

“The one near the lake and the cherry blossom tree?”

“Yeah Hyung! We should go together again one day”! 

Taeil smiles as he sighs softly as nostalgia waved over him at the memories. Donghyuck was his baby brother and was the equivalent of a ball of sunshine. He remembers teaching Donghyuck how to skateboard in his backyard every time he used to come over and visit. Eventually, they started to skateboard every day and sit near the lake with the cherry blossom tree, listening to music, and just enjoying each other's company. When Taeil first got out of the hospital, Donghyuck took him to the park to have a picnic and they talked like they haven’t talked in years that day, ending with Taeil carrying a sleeping Donghyuck.

“Hyung? Hello? You there?”

Taeil snaps out of his thoughts and shakes his head a bit before responding. 

“Sorry, I got distracted by something. What did you say, Hyuckie?”

He heard Donghyuck sigh dramatically and he chuckled to himself quietly. 

“I was saying that while we were at lunch today, Yangyang started talking about his cousin”. 

“Okay…..?”

“He goes to your college Hyung! He is apparently an Applied Music major and he is a freshman just like you! ”

“Really?”

“Yeah! Yangyang was showing us his Instagram and I am not going to lie he’s kinda super hot Hyung”

“Hyuck...”

“What! Who knows Hyung? You guys would be such a cute couple. He is literally your ideal type. He has a pretty smile, athletic, smart, apparently one of the nicest people alive, super talented, and loves music like you...”

“Donghyuck”. 

“Did I mention he’s hella hot? He has abs Hyung! ABS! He also has a really nice as-”

“LEE DONGHYUCK”

He can hear Donghyuck crackling in the background as Taeil sighs exasperatedly. He loves his baby brother but he is going to be the sole reason Taeil goes gray before the ripe age of 21.

“Can you at least tell me the guy’s name?”

Before Donghyuck could even answer his question though, he heard a muffled voice in the background calling for him. He heard Donghyuck yell “COMING BABE” before he returned back to Taeil. 

“Sorry Hyung! I got to go! Mark Hyungie is calling me~”

“ANSWER MY QUESTION!”

“Maybe next time. Bye Taeilie Hyung~”

Taeil hears the call end and curses quietly. Why is everyone hiding everything from him? First Taeyong and now Donghyuck? He huffs as he runs his fingers through Louis’s fur. He wonders who this mystery guy is. Was he really all that Donghyuck says he is? He doesn’t even know his name but the way Donghyuck talked about him made him look like the perfect man. Taeil can’t even think of anyone who is remotely even close to that. 

He leans back against the counter and turns his head lazily to look outside. The cherry blossom tree outside their dorm swayed slightly to the wind and showered the air with dancing, pink petals gracefully.

He remembers the flower petal above Kun’s eyebrow that covered his little mole. How he didn’t think twice when he reached out to remove it, his fingers brushing against Kun’s mellow skin, causing the latter to have a light pink blush paint across his handsome face, matching his lips. He can’t forget how warm Kun’s arms were around him as he clutches onto Taeil’s sweater, afraid to let go. The muffle smell of Kun’s cologne and his soft, clement hair tickle gently against Taeil’s face. 

Taeil blushes as he covers his face. He groans as he leans back against the wall of the kitchen counter. He couldn’t stop thinking about Kun since he got back. He just met Kun and there was something so gentle and soft about the younger yet there was something dormant in him. There was something that Kun was hiding and Taeil couldn't put his finger on it. He had a sudden urge from that moment onwards to protect the younger. 

Taeil massages his temple and sighs deeply. 

Maybe there was one perfect person he can think of. 

“Shit”. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

Kun hears the oven’s alarm go off stridently as he slips on a pair of light pink gloves Ten got him for his birthday. He wraps his fingers around the metal bar of the oven and pushes down against a wave of heat cradling his face as he reaches in and pulls out the golden brown, greenish cake. He balances the hot cake in his hands as he closes the oven with his hip and calls out to Ten. 

“Ten! Can you come and help me?” 

The younger light-brown eyed male looks up from his phone. He nods as he gets up and sets down his phone, sliding effortlessly next to the elder Chinese. He watches Kun place the cake on a cooling rack and stick a skewer through the center of the cake, pulling it out and smiling when it comes out clean. 

“Yeah, what do you need me to do?”, Ten says as he washes his hands before drying them against one of the towels hanging from the oven handle and turning his attention back to the chocolate-brown, doe-like eyed male. 

“Can you start icing the cake once it cools while I prepare the decorations for it”, Kun says. 

“Yes Sir!”, Ten salutes him playfully after tying an apron around his waist, busying himself with the task on hand. 

Kun shakes his head fondly as he rolls up his sleeves and begins to cut the bar of Green Tea chocolate he got while he and Sicheng went to the family Japanese store near their college. He carefully begins to chop as Ten turns his back to him and opens the fridge. 

They bump shoulders as they work diligently. They worked in momentary silence between the two of them as the soft noises of chopping and Ten’s humming embraced them comfortably in Kun and Sicheng’s small kitchen. The little clock in the living room ticked with each of Kun’s chops and Ten’s stroke of icing as the sweet aroma of the kitchen filled the air. 

“Kun, where’s Sicheng”, Ten spoke up suddenly, noticing the youngest was absent. 

Kun recalls how Sicheng was dressed up and rushed out of the dorm, saying something along the lines “super important. I’ll be back before dinner. Yes, I’ll be careful gege!”. 

“I am not sure, He told me he had something important going on and he would be back before dinner”, Kun responds as he begins to work on cutting a bar of dark chocolate. 

Ten sets down the knife he was using to ice the cake before licking the remaining icing on his fingers. He hums as he does a little happy dance when he looks at his work. He turns to look at Kun with a mischievous glint in his feline-like eyes.

“I think he’s dating someone”.

Kun raises his eyebrows in surprise. Sicheng never even mentions anything about liking someone, let alone DATING SOMEONE. 

“What makes you say that Tennie”?

“Kun, think about it! Didn’t you notice how Sicheng has changed lately?” 

The realization began to dawn on Kun slowly. He didn’t realize until Ten even mentioned it now. How Sicheng seems so much happier and cheery lately. How Sicheng has that telltale, goofy smile on his face every time he is on his phone. How Sicheng always came back late at night. He remembers the vase of flowers next to Sicheng’s bedside. 

“Oh my god” 

“I know! I bet it’s that TA from the library”. 

“You think so?” 

“I know so! Come on, the way they were both eye- flirting with each other. I could feel the tension all from here!”

“Oh, the one with the blueish-purplish mullet right?”

“Yeah. I think he was talking to your “platonic” musicology partne-“

“OW”

Kun winces in pain as he drops the knife abruptly. A sharp stinging sensation radiates through his palm as blood gushes out of his new gash. He feels his eyes prickle a bit as he clutches onto his wrist, trying not to drip blood onto anything. 

“Kun! Shit! Oh my god! Are you okay?”, Ten says with panic apparent in his voice as he grabs Kun’s wrist and drags him to the sink. Ten turns on the facet and gently places Kun’s hand under the cooling water. Kun hisses and tries to withdraw his hand but he feels Ten stop him. 

After rinsing Kun’s hand for 5 minutes, Ten sits the elder down while he scrambles around to find a first aid kit. He opens the cabinet underneath the stove and cheers internally when he finds the little red and blue box. He begins to work on Kun’s wound as quietness engulfs them. After he finishes wrapping his hand, he looks up to see Kun biting his lip nervously and looking everywhere but Ten’s eyes. 

“Kun Gege? Can you look at me please”, Ten ask softly and he places his fingers under the elder’s chin and lifts it up gently. 

Kun looks at him shyly, the younger’s light-brown, feline eyes piercing through his own. Ten and he were almost the same age so Ten usually never called him “Ge” unless it was something really serious. 

“What’s going on with you? You are never usually this distracted Kun”. 

Kun looks down guilty as he plays with his newly-wrapped bandages. He couldn’t stop thinking about Taeil since he got back. How painfully nostalgic and safe he felt in Taeil’s arms. How his cologne gently caressed him along with his soft, sing-song voice. He just wants to shake the elder and tell him to wake up and remember everything they had in the past. But Taeil simply looks at him as his temporary Musicology partner and not as a forgotten soulmate. 

“I’m fine Tennie~”

Ten looks down and prys Kun’s hands apart not unkindly. He gently circles his thumb around the latter’s wrist, concern tracing across his features. 

“Ge, please don’t lie to me. Even the babies were concerned when we had dinner together. You seem so distanced and stressed out lately. Is everything okay? You can tell me anything, Kun”. 

Ten pauses as he furrowed his eyebrows in disquiet, nibbling his lip worryingly before continuing worryingly. 

“Is this about your musicology partner”?

Kun tries to cover up the shock that he felt go through his body when he heard Ten’s words. Who was he kidding? Ten was a lot smarter than he let on to be, especially about Kun. Kun swallowed the lump in this throat as he tried to compose himself. 

“It’s n-nothing Ten! Seriously! I've just been so stressed out about Musicology since the project due date is coming up. T-Taeil H-Hyung is a great partner, we really do work well together. I’m sorry for worrying you”, Kun trails off silently.

Ten gives him a look as if saying “I don’t believe you” but he knew better to not push it. He simply smiled and nodded an “okay”. Ten and Kun went back to the kitchen to finish up the cake. Ten watches as Kun nervously and clumsily put on a pair of latex gloves and begins to decorate the freshly iced Green Teacake. Kun knew the conversation wasn’t over but he couldn’t help but feel that Ten knew something that he didn’t know.

Ten takes a sip of his cold coffee and grimaces. He couldn’t help worry about Kun. He couldn’t help but think something was clearly going on between Kun and Taeil, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. 

Almost like a lightbulb going off, Ten got a sudden thought and a mischievous smile grew on his face. 

“So his name is Taeil huh?”

“CHITTAPHON”

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

“GE, GUESS WHAT?!”

Kun balances his phone between his shoulder and face as he searches for his hoodie. He swore it was here just a minute ago. He flips over his bedsheets and skols happily when he finds the overly large baby blue hoodie sitting on top of his bedsheets. He slips it on before returning back to his phone. 

“What’s up Yangyangie?”

“I asked Renjun out!”

“YOU ASK RENJUN OUT?

“YANGYANG DID WHAT?”, Sicheng yelled from a distance before Kun heard hurried footsteps heading towards his direction. A winded Sicheng slammed the door open and ran next to Kun, almost knocking the elder off his feet. He crouches down and presses his ear next to Kun’s phone. 

“YEAH GE! AND HE SAID YES!” 

Both Kun and Sicheng cheer loudly for the younger. 

“We are going on a date today!” 

“Oh Yangyangie~ That’s great baobei! Be safe, have fun, and don’t do anything stupid”. 

“Don’t worry Kun Ge, I’ll be safe!”

“And Yangyang?”

“Yeah Ge?”

“Use protection please”

“KUN GE WHAT THE HECK”

“I’M JUST SAYING”

“GE YOU ARE SO EMBARRASSING”.

After a few more minutes of talking, Kun bids farewell to Yangyang and they both hang up the phone. He smiles softly at his phone, trying his best to keep his emotions at bay. His baby cousin has grown up so fast. Not even a while ago, he was crying to Kun about liking Renjun and the two youngsters were dating now. Time has really flown by right in front of his eyes. 

He felt someone grip his shoulder gently. He turns to see Sicheng still next to him. 

“Ge, they are actually dating”, Sicheng said excitedly, jumping on his heels like an excited child and embracing Kun, squealing. He smiles at the younger and giggles and he tightens his arms around Sicheng. Their younger cousins are really dating each other. This almost feels like a fever dream but it's a reality.

Kun checks the time and gasps softly as he breaks the hug between him and Sicheng.

7:55PM

“We better start heading out”

“Yeah, let’s go”

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

Ten, Sicheng, and Kun stand outside of Taeyong’s door while Kun grips onto the cake that he and Ten made earlier. Ten reaches and knocks in the door. They heard some muffled voices and footsteps before the door swung open, revealing a flame-red hair male and a little rose-shaped scar near his right eye and little tattoos that looked like doodles. He was wearing ripped, skinny jeans and an apron wrapped loosely around his waist. He smiles brightly as he looks at the three. 

“Hey! Come on in!”, Taeyong says as he motions the younger three to come in. He hugs Sicheng and Ten warmly before turning to Kun. He flashes a gummy smile and embraces the younger softly before looking down at the little box in Kun’s arm. 

“Kun! How are you? You can place that down on the counter”, Taeyong says brightly. 

Kun notices how homely their dorm was. It was filled with chatter and a comfortable buzz of music. He noticed Ten and Sicheng talking to someone and laughing loudly st the stranger’s antics. He feels really out of place. Suddenly he felt a balmy hand placed gently on his mid-back. Taeyong guides Kun to the kitchen.

Kun places the cake on their marbled kitchen counter and places the other food he brought next to it. He notices Taeyong busy himself with a pile of plates and cups, balancing them haphazardly. 

“Hyung, do you need any help setting up?”, Kun asks cautiously as he notices Taeyong’s dark circles etch his abundant and handsome features and reaches out to help the redhead. 

Taeyong smiles sweetly at him as Kun took some of the plates and stuff from his arms and they both sat them down on the table. Taeyong removes his apron and places it off to the side as he wraps Kun’s wrist warmly. 

“Let me introduce you to everyone”, Taeyong offers softly as he pilots the younger into the living room as Kun follows him like a lost puppy. They make their way to the living room where everyone else was. 

“Guys! I want you to meet someone!”, Taeyong speaks up, causing everyone to go quiet. Everyone turns their attention to Kun and he blushes under the attention. Taeyong grins at him encouragingly. He notices Ten and Sicheng quietly. slide next to him

“H-Hey I’m Qian Kun. I am an Applied Music major and I am a freshman. I am originally Fujian and I moved around a lot”, he ended shyly. A chorus of greetings rang through the room as everyone before loud giggling rang through the room. 

Everyone turns to see the blueish-purplish hair Japanese trying to cover his laughter. 

“You must be the Kun that Taeil Hyung heads over heels for”, he teases as Kun blushes bright red. He sputters heating as Taeyong reaches over and slaps the younger on the back of the head lightly. 

“Yah! You’re embarrassing him. Instead of teasing him, introduce yourself”, Taeyong scolds lightly as the younger of the two pouts, causing everyone to laugh at their antics. 

The blueish-purplish hair Japanese sticks at his tongue at Taeyong before introducing himself. 

“Heyo! I’m Nakamoto Yuta! I am a freshman and I am currently majoring in Music Engineering! I am from Osaka and I moved here when I was 10!”

Kun noticed how Sicheng and Yuta were making eye contact with each other and looking away quickly when they did. 

Oh...now he really saw what Ten meant earlier. 

After Yuta, they went in a circle and introduced themselves one by one. 

“What’s up! I’m Jung Yoonoh but you can call me Jaehyun. I am a freshman and I was born in Seoul but I lived in America for 4 years. I am a Music Therapy major and I am currently dating Jeon Jungkook”. 

“Wait, the dude who looks like a bunny and is hella buff?”

“Isn’t that Doyoung?”

“Nah, Doyoung can’t lift for shit” 

“WHAT DID YOU SAY JOHNNATON?!?”

“OKAY MOVING ON”

A very tall male with a strong, muscular structure smiled kindly as little smile wrinkles graced his rather sharp features. 

“Yo! I’m Seo Youngho but you can call me Johnny, NOT JOHNNATON” 

Doyoung snickers while Johnny glares at him before continuing” 

“I was born in Chicago and I moved here when I was in 12th grade. I am also a freshman and I am majoring in Music Psychology”. 

Next, the man who looked like a bunny spoke up. 

“Hello I’m Kim Dongyoung but I go by Doyoung. I am a freshman and I am majoring in Voice and I was born and brought up here. I am dating Taeyong”. 

Taeyong blows a kiss at him while Ten wrinkles his nose in mock disgust. “Ah, young love”, he whispers in Kun’s ear, causing the latter to giggle quietly. 

Taeyong clears his throat and begins to introduce himself. 

“Hello! I’m Lee Taeyong~ I am dating Doyoung and I am also a freshman and I am majoring in Dance like Ten and Sicheng. I was also born and brought up here”.

After Ten and Sicheng quickly introduce themselves, Taeyong speaks up again. 

“Sorry my roommate is picking up some stuff so he’s running a bit late, his name is —“ 

A loud bang was heard from the entrance and everyone jumped. A short man with dark brown eyes and lynx-like eyes stumble into the form, balancing a pile of bags in one hand and his keys on the other. He shakes his bangs out his eyes, painting as if he was running, making his little moon piecing sway side to side”. 

“I AM SO SORRY I’M LATE, THE STUPID RA STOP ME BECAUSE I PARK MY CAR ONE CENTIMETER OFF THE LINE. ONE CENTIMETER!”, Taeil rambles until he locks eyes with Kun. The latter widens his eyes as his heart pounds against his rib cage. Taeil changed and was wearing a leather jacket with black skinny jeans. His hair was slicked back slightly and he wasn’t wearing his glasses, revealing his lynx-like eyes and thick eyebrows. It was almost like Taeil was his decalcomania. Every pressing paint that Taeil made only felt an impression of Kun wanting more. He wants to learn more about the elder, even though he once thought he knew everything about him. He simply can’t stop staring at the art piece even if he wanted to

Taeyong looks back and forth from the two in confusion before smirking knowingly. Doyoung whispered something in his ear, causing the elder of the two to snicker. 

“This is my roommate Moon Taeil, You may already know him by the way you are staring at him Kun”, Taeyong teases, nudging him slightly. 

Kun opens and closes his mouth wordlessly as he snaps out of his trances and scratches the back of his ear embarrassingly. Before he would speak up, Taeil beat him to it with an eloquent, teasing smile on his face, causing the younger to blush even more. 

“Yeah, we know each other pretty well actually”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO EVERYONE!!!!
> 
> Long time no see! I hope everyone is well. I am back (No I didn't move to Antarctica aftercall :)) As a lot of you know, I am a freshmen in college and I have been booked with work and my studies so I have been working on this story whenever I can! Thank you so much for being patient with me and staying by me~ 
> 
> I promise that once break rolls around, I can finally finish this story and begin the new one I have in the works (NOT YET THO). 
> 
> SO MUCH HAS HAPPEN! NCT 2020? new members? KUNIL AFTER 2 YEARS. AHHHHHHHHH SO EXCITING. I am thinking about adding the new members later on but we shall see how the story progresses. 
> 
> I know times are hella hard right now but I hope everyone is holding up okay and doing their best to stay as healthy and safe as possible!
> 
> Until next time, Love you! I promise to come back stronger and better than ever before and once again, thank you so much for being patient with me~
> 
> -ASC ❀◐⌣◐


	11. Chapter 10: Serene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hi, I’m Moon Taeil. You can call me Taeil hyung if you want to” Taeil introduces softly, almost like he read Kun’s mind. Kun cocked his head to the side like a lost puppy.
> 
> “T-Taiyi G-Ge?”
> 
> Moments of silences passed by when Kun suddenly spoke up in a quivering voice
> 
> “I’m Kunnie”
> 
> He looks in his bag for a small little airplane keychain he got from the prize box. Kun liked airplanes right? He extends his arm and offers the keychain as he smiles.
> 
> “Nice to meet you, Kunnie. Let’s be friends!”
> 
> Or Kun and Taeil were best friends until a huge accident, causing Taeil to have temporary Amnesia. They swore they would get married and always be soulmates forever. Now 10 years later, they meet up in university but Taeil remembers everyone but Kun.
> 
> "Hi I am Moon Taeil, who are you? Have we met before?"
> 
> Kun can't help but wonder "Why can't he remember me?" as he fidgets with the airplane key chain on his keys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT NOTES AT THE END!
> 
> Twitter: A_Suga_Cookie1 or just A_Suga_Cookie

Serene

(Adj.): An expanse of the clear sky and calm sky

Taeyong gently places the Green Tea cake that Kun made in the center of the dinner table as he smiles satisfactorily. The exquisite aroma and the vibrant colors of the varying foods decorate every corner of their rustic, aging dining table, contrasting their dorm’s dulling walls. He wipes his hands gently against his pants and sighs fondly when he hears loud yelling and multiple curses echo loudly through the room. He looks up to see Doyoung trying to escape Johnny’s headlock while Ten howled loudly in laughter. 

“LET GO ME HYUNG, I CAN’T BREATHE”!

“Awww, Don’t be like that Doie~”

“TAEYONG! BABY, PLEASE HELP, THIS OVERLARGE BABY IS TRYING TO SUFFOCATE ME”!

“I AM NOT”!

“HYUNG, I THINK HE’S TURNING BLUE! STOP”!

He laughs at their antics as his eyes travel to the other side of the room to Sicheng and Yuta watching the trio from a distance. Sicheng sneaks a glance at Yuta and bites at his lip when the normally very confident Blueish-Purplish-haired Japanese look back quizzingly. Taeyong watches them both look away quickly from each other, a bright red decorating across both of their faces and a nervousness plaster on their features. 

Taeyong smirks knowingly when he notices something else right in front of him. Taeil was sitting next to Ten quietly but wasn’t paying attention to the chaotic pandemonium around him. Taeyong’s eyes follow the older’s line of version and his smirks grow wider on his face. Taeil’s eyes were trained onto two people in the kitchen. A slightly taller, muscular male with dark brown, smooth hair talking animatedly to a shorter, auburn male cutting up slices of watermelon, humming softly. Both have their backs turned to the chaos in front of him. 

He recognized immediately, it was Kun and Jaehyun.

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

“Kun-ssi, can I help?”, Jaehyun asked the shorter male shyly. Kun stops humming and looks up from the chuck he was cutting to see the younger male biting his lip nervously and fiddling with the edge of his shirt, rocking on the soles of his feet. 

Kun smiles emphatically at Jaehyun and pats the counter encouragingly.   
“Of course you can Jaehyun”, Kun says warmly. 

The younger excitedly jumps next to the older, Chinese male’s side and jumps shoulders with him, smiling with his deep dimples adorning his handsome face. Kun smiles softly and picks up his knife and slices the watermelon in half, then placing the chunk in front of Jaehyun gently. 

“Just slice this into wedges and place them on that platter please”, Kun instructs the younger as he points to the silver platter. It was already decorated with some piece of watermelon Kun cut earlier. 

“Yes, Kun-ssi”, Jaehyun says expectantly while picking up his knife, turning his attention to the piece of fruit in front of him. 

“Also Jaehyun”?

Jaehyun whips his head around and looks at Kun tensely, his dark-brown, almond-shaped eyes widen comically. Kun chuckles softly before placing his free hand on the younger’s shoulder and squeezing it tenderly, causing the latter to relax almost immediately. 

“You can call me Hyung if you want to. Kun-ssi makes me feel old”, Kun says gently with a slightly teasing tone in his voice. Jaehyun blushes slightly and beams softly as he scratches the back of his neck embarrassingly. 

“Okay Kun Hyung”, Jaehyun says merrily and Kun smiles brightly before both males fall back into cutting the chunks of watermelon in front of them. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

Taeyong chuckles when he notices Taeil’s face turning sour and his eyes narrow almost menacingly when Kun places his hand on Jaehyun’s shoulder and Jaehyun smiles down at the chocolate-brown, doe-eyed man. Taeil huffs and turns to type something fiercely on his phone instead. 

Taeyong knew that look almost too well, just as well as he knew Taeil. Ever since the latter has met Kun, he has been acting odd around the younger. Taeyong has never seen his normally quiet, shy, and docile Hyung become so flustered about someone ever. 

That someone being Qian Kun. 

Taeyong shakes his fondly and watches from a distance. Kun turns around and rolls up his sleeves, laughing loudly behind his hands at a now sulking and pouty Jaehyun, complaining about his boyfriend’s competitiveness for the littlest of things. 

He notices the deep dimples around the older man’s face and the little black mole that sits prettily just below his right eyebrow. The way Kun titled his head slightly to the right whenever he was confused. His chocolate, doe-like eyes glittered prettily under their shitty fluorescent dorm lights. 

Wait a minute. 

He knows those eyes from somewhere. 

Doesn’t Taeyong know Kun? 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

FLASHBACK

Taeyong’s small, stubby fingers encircled around a crayon, juvenile concentration written all over his face. His legs swung rhythmically to the muffled sounds of the hospital as they hovered slightly above the floor. He wiggles slightly in the rustic, wooden chair as he hums softly, not once letting his eyes off his sketchbook. He drew the final line, finishing his drawing. He drops the waxy writing utensil and stretches, admiring the work in front of him. 

It was the little comely garden on top of the hospital roof where he normally goes and plays with the little white kitten after he finished his homework. 

He traces his finger across a magenta, chary flower, frowning slightly. He felt like something was missing like the drawing was incomplete but he couldn't quite place his small finger on it. He huffs as he looks around the staff room for some inspiration but all he got were a bunch of anatomical posters and the mockingly friendly alligator sign that reminded everyone to wash their hands.

In the midst of his infantile quandary, he didn’t hear the faint sound of a door creaking open and the distinct ruffling of scrubs headed his direction. He felt someone take their hand through his messy jet-black hair and tousle it softly. A small thud was made against the table as the stranger puts down a garnet-red lunch canteen. 

Taeyongie? What are you up to baby?”, a gentle, docile voice called out to him as the unknown stranger sat in the chair next to him, creaking against their weight. 

Taeyong jumps slightly and looks up. Squealing in excitement when he sees the stranger. He jumps out of his chair and embraces the unknown person, causing the latter to laugh mellifluously and wrap their arms around Taeyong’s small body. 

“Aunt Joy! You scared me!”, Taeyong mumbled with a pout on his face, his ruffled hair making him look more endearing rather than the menacing look he was going for. 

Nurse Joy giggles as she pinches the younger boy’s cheek, causing the younger to squeal in protest.

“Sorry Taeyongie~”, she says with a hint of teasing edging on her voice as she looks over to see what Taeyong was drawing. She gasps softly and smiles brightly at the younger’s artwork.

“Oh Taeyong, it's so pretty! Is this the garden”?

“Yes, Auntie! Do you like it?”, Taeyong chimes in as he puffs out his chest in child-like pride then giggles gleefully. 

“Of course I do Taeyongie~ I always love your art baby”, Nurse Joy coos softly at the younger and smiles fondly at Taeyong. 

Before she could say anything else though, the intercom of the hospital screeches raucously as a melancholic yet unremitting voice reverberates out loudly across the poky staff room. 

“EMERGENCY PEDIATRIC PATIENT ON ROUTE. POSSIBLE CODE BLUE EMERGENCY MEDICINE AND PEDIATRICS ON STANDBY”.

“Shit”, Nurse Joy mumbles as she jumps up and scrambles fervently for her pager and stethoscope. She pats her pockets frantically before looking back at Taeyong. The younger’s bottom lip was trembling slightly and tears welled up in his eyes as fear blossomed through his face. Taeyong knew something was wrong almost instantly and he was scared by the loud, scary announcement. 

“A-Aunt Joy? I-I’m scared”. 

Nurse Joy felt her heartbreak into a million pieces. As much as she didn't want to leave her nephew alone again, she also had an important job to take care of. She crouches right next to her nephew and cautiously reaches her hand out and caresses his cheek tenderly. 

“I know you are Taeyongie~ But everything will be okay. I promise. Just stay in here until I get back okay?”  
Taeyong bites his lip mously as he nods timidly. While he was scared, he didn’t want to worry about his aunt. Especially when she looks so stressed out about whatever was happening outside.   
Nurse Joy smiles one last time at the younger before jumping up to rush out the door. She looks back at the garnet-red lunch canteen she placed down earlier and pushes it forward toward Taeyong briskly. 

“Eat up Taeyongie, I’ll be back very soon”, Nurse Joy says delicately at the youngest. She gives him one last hug before walking out of the room and closes the door vehemently. 

30 minutes passed by as Taeyong picked at his egg fried rice with his favorite Totoro chopsticks. He looks at the door longingly as he waits for his aunt through the door. He swings his legs back and forth as the ticking of the clock keeps him company. Taeyong sighs, renouncing as he places his head in his arms. Maybe if he finishes his homework early, he can go to the garden and visit Snow White, the little white kitten who lives in the hospital’s rooftop garden. 

Before he could pick up his chopsticks and take another bite, he heard someone screaming and crying. Taeyong’s heartbeats fiercely against his ribcage as he runs over to the door and pins his ear to the old, rustic door. He was only able to hear some tempestuously mumbling mellowed between the piercing wailing. Curiosity was slowly replacing the fear in him as he gnawed at the skin of his bottom lip. 

“Aunt Joy told me to stay here”, Taeyong debates with himself as he walks back and forth worryingly.

He hears another scream and snaps his attention back to the door. He picks up his bumblebee backpack and shoves his art book, his color pencils, and his other belongings into it before zipping it up and securing it to his back. 

“You are totally going to get in trouble”, thought Taeyong to himself one more time before he turned the knob and opened the door, causing him to stumble out into a seemingly empty hallway of the somewhat busking hospital.

Taeyong walks around aimlessly as he tries to find the desk that his aunt worked at, only the rhythmically tapping of his own souls resonates around him. He was still learning how to break apart the harder consonants and vowels so he was not able to read the enormous royal blue signs that hung overhead of him. He huffs exasperatedly as he turns another corner, expecting to meet another empty corridor. 

“Where am I”? 

However, instead of silence and emptiness, he heard someone crying and screaming. Taeyong bolted quickly back into the corner and peeked out of it inwardly. He saw a little boy covered in blood with chocolate-brown hair sobbing and embracing the legs of one of the nurses, who was trying to comfort the distressed younger boy. 

It was the same discerning wailing he heard earlier but now, he was able to make out what they were saying.

“SAVE HIM. PLEASE! HE’S HURT REALLY BADLY! IS GEGE GOING TO BE OKAY?”, cried the younger boy as he jumped up and down in angst, crying heavily into the pastel yellow scrubs of the nurse. 

Taeyong felt his heartache as he watched the younger cry hysterically as he collapsed to the grimy hospital floor. He couldn’t help but feel really bad for him. He looked to be around Taeyong’s age. 

The nurse crouches next to the boy so she was at eye level with the younger. She picked up the unknown boy into her arms and cradled him gently, rubbing her hand up and down his back as he bawled into her shoulder. He heard the nurse say in a soft,mother-like tone while rocking the boy back and forth. 

“He will be okay sweetheart~ Calm down, you’ll make yourself sick if you keep screaming and crying like that. There you go, I got you baobei~”. 

Taeyong gasps quietly as his eyes widen. He knew that voice as well as he has known to walk and talk. The realization hit him when he noticed the nurse’s copper-gold hair pinned up loosely with a black hairpin decorated completely in gold and white flowers. 

The same one Aunt Joy wears all the time. 

Just as Taeyong stood on his tippy toes to get better, he trips on his own shoelaces and loses his balance as he feels his legs give out under him. In sheer panic, Taeyong tries to hold onto the wall for support, but to no avail, He stumbles out and falls down onto his knees in front of Nurse Joy and the unknown boy. 

The pair glanced up to see what the abrupt sound was and looked at Taeyong in astonishment. Nurse Joy calls out and ushers the pediatric intern toward them who just exits from the room that the pair was in front of. 

“Can you please take him to the locker room so he can freshen up and change out of his clothes? After that, please take him to the rooftop garden and keep an eye on him. I’ll be there in a moment”. 

The intern nods as he softly takes the sniffling boy’s hand and escorts him away toward the direction of the locker room. Nurse Joy stares at the disappearing back of the two before turning her attention to the matter at hand. 

“Taeyong-ah”?, Nurse Joy sputters out as she jogs toward him and kneels in front of Taeyong. 

“A-Auntie, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to! I heard someone crying and I got worried”, Taeyong rambles defensively as he looked everywhere but his now unamused deadpanned aunt. 

Nurse Joy suspires stressfully as she pinches the bridge of her nose. She loves her nephew but god saves her from his keen, constant interest to always get himself in some sort of trouble. 

“Taeyongie, I told you to stay in the staff room until I came back, right baby?”, Nurse Joy chastises lightly. 

“Yes Auntie, you did”, Taeyong says miserably as the younger winsomely pouts and hangs his head shamefully. 

Nurse Joy gently grins as she pinches her nephew’s cheek, causing the younger to squeal in protest. 

“Alright, alright, I forgive you Taeyong-ah~”, Nurse Joy says teasingly as the younger whines gamesomely at his aunt’s antics. She pauses for a minute before an idea pops into her head and she continues. 

“Taeyong, can I ask you a favor”?

“Yeah Auntie, what do you need”?

Taeyong punches a series of numbers into the keypad before hearing it ring and the door unlocks. He huffs while he struggles to open the substantial metal door, all while trying to balance all the things in his arms. The gentle, serene frigid, winter breeze of Seoul mixed with the floral earthy scent greeted him. He walks out cautiously through the garden and stops in his tracks when he notices something.   
It was the same little boy with the chocolate-brown hair. His hair was unruly from the wind and it was ruffled to make him look like a teddy bear. He was now wearing different clothes and was no longer covered in blood. All his attention was on a little white feline with a bright red ribbon tied loosely around its neck. He heard the boy giggle happily behind his hands as the little kitten rubbed up and purr against his leg. 

Taeyong set his backpack and his stuff on the nearest bench before carefully walking and sitting next to the boy. 

“Her name is Snow-White. I think she likes you”, Taeyong said softly, causing the other boy to jump slightly. He snaps his neck toward the stranger and scratches his neck awkwardly, trying to hide the blush that was building on his cheeks due to the stranger’s strong gaze.

Taeyong softens his glaze and rubs comforting circles on the other boy’s arm, He internally sighs in relief when the boy physically relaxes. They sit in an oddly comforting silence while they both watch the kitten climb onto Kun’s lap and play with the drawstrings of his sweatshirt. Taeyong heeded the little mole on the boy’s right eyebrow and his matching chocolate-brown, doe-like eyes. The boy’s face has still tinged a blush- pink from all the crying. 

“My name is Taeyong! What’s your name?”, Taeyong asks kindly as he patiently waits. 

More silence engulfed them for a few more moments before the other boy spoke in a hushed, shy voice, his dimples appearing endearingly on his face. 

“I’m Kun”. 

Taeyong smiles at Kun who was bashfully hiding behind his overgrown bangs. 

“Nice to meet you, Kun”. 

The two talked for hours about their favorite subjects in school and their favorite kinds of food. Kun opened up about what happened to Taeyong and the older of the two comforted him as they both watched the sunset slowly across the Seoul horizon. 

“Kun! Taeyong!”, Nurse Joy calls out to the younger as she finishes her shift and walks to the garden to find the younger. She pauses when she coos at the sight in front of her. Taeyong and Kun were asleep, obvious to the world around them. She notices Taeyong’s jacket thrown over the two of them clumsy and smiles when her eyes follow Taeyong's arms protectively hugging Kun. Snow-White was curled up, sleeping happily between Kun’s arms. 

Nurse Joy giggles as she looks at the scene, secretly taking a photo for later.

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋

Taeyong widened his eyes. Oh my god, how did he not realize earlier in the dance studio that it was the same Kun who he met at the hospital? He takes a shakingly breath as he tells the chair in front of him. 

“Taiyi-Ge was Taeil Hyung this whole time”, Taeyong thinks frantically, remembering how Kun talked nonstop about his “Taiyi-Ge”. Realization slapped him harshly in the face. It all made sense now. Kun and Taeil knew each other, he was dead sure about it. They were more than best friends, basically soulmates. Kun was the little boy crying his name over and over again in front of his hospital room. The same boy he heard screaming that fateful day 10 years ago. Taeyong knew that Taeil was in a freak accident a couple of years ago and survived it, regaining most of his memory. Does the missing part he doesn’t remember include Kun? 

Taeyong’s head swims in his deep thoughts as he connects the now patent dots. So much that he didn’t realize someone was standing behind him.  
“Hyung, is everything okay?”

Taeyong turns around rapidly to see Kun holding a big plate of watermelon he and Jaehyun were cutting earlier. Taeyong’s expression faltered for a bit before he smiled at the worried younger. 

“Yeah, Kun, I’m fine. Just a bit tired”, Taeyong reassured the younger one before pointing at an empty square of the table. 

“You can place those there please”. 

Kun places the plate where Taeyong pointed to and wipes his hand on his pants. He looks at Taeyong and gives him a deep smile, his dimples decorating his face prettily. 

“Do you need me to do anything else, Hyung? You should take some rest”. 

Taeyong shakes his head and smiles at the younger. He is still the same old Kun he met 10 years ago. Doesn’t care about himself but would immediately drop everything and even put his life on the line for others.

“I’m good. I am anyway almost done with everything here”, Taeyong says sweetly. 

Before one of them could say anything else, they were interrupted when Johnny’s frantic voice echoed through the dorm. 

“CAN SOMEONE HELP ME WITH THE SPEAKER? I THINK TEN BROKE IT”!

“I DID NOT HYUNG”!

“You should probably go help out Johnny though before Ten breaks something else”, Taeyong teases as t=they both laugh loudly. Taeyong watches Kun turn around to walk out of the kitchen and help Johnny with the speaker. 

“KUN WAIT”. 

Kun stops in his tracks and turns around to face Taeyong again. 

“Hyung”? 

“Are you free tomorrow evening”?

“I should be, what’s up”?

“Meet me tomorrow evening. We need to speak about something”. 

Kun furrows his eyebrows in confusion. Why does Taeyong want to speak to him all of a sudden? Didn’t they just meet? 

“Hyung, did I d-”, Kun started worryingly at Taeyong’s suspicious mannerism before he was physically silenced by Taeyong’s finger pressed against his lips. 

“Not here at dinner. Meet me tomorrow at the Quad and we can talk more about it then. I’ll text you as a reminder tomorrow morning”, Taeyong whispered in an endmost tone, gently patting Kun’s shoulder before exiting the kitchen. 

Kun looks in the direction of the door that Taeyong is exited from, dubiety freezing him in place. A thousand thoughts and questions were rushing through his head like a fast-forwarded but one thing was for sure. 

“What does Taeyong know that I don’t know”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO EVERYONE!!!!
> 
> Long time no see! I hope everyone is well. I am back. I hope everyone had a good semester in school for all my students! I am finally back from college on break and I am currently working on plenty of projects that I will kick into full gear after finals! So please look forward to that. 
> 
> I know times are hella hard right now but I hope everyone is holding up okay and doing their best to stay as healthy and safe as possible! I wish the best of luck for everyone who is doing college admissions, finals, and wrapping up this semester. 2020 is almost over folks, hang in there!!!
> 
> Love you! I promise to come back stronger and better than ever before and once again, thank you so much for being patient with me~
> 
> So until next time~
> 
> K U N I L R I S E 
> 
> -ASC ❀◐⌣◐


	12. Chapter 11: Kalon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hi, I’m Moon Taeil. You can call me Taeil hyung if you want to” Taeil introduces softly, almost like he read Kun’s mind. Kun cocked his head to the side like a lost puppy.
> 
> “T-Taiyi G-Ge?”
> 
> Moments of silences passed by when Kun suddenly spoke up in a quivering voice
> 
> “I’m Kunnie”
> 
> He looks in his bag for a small little airplane keychain he got from the prize box. Kun liked airplanes right? He extends his arm and offers the keychain as he smiles.
> 
> “Nice to meet you, Kunnie. Let’s be friends!”
> 
> Or Kun and Taeil were best friends until a huge accident, causing Taeil to have temporary Amnesia. They swore they would get married and always be soulmates forever. Now 10 years later, they meet up in university but Taeil remembers everyone but Kun.
> 
> "Hi I am Moon Taeil, who are you? Have we met before?"
> 
> Kun can't help but wonder "Why can't he remember me?" as he fidgets with the airplane key chain on his keys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Author's note at the end of the chapter!
> 
> Twitter: ASugaCookie1  
> CuriousCat: ASugaCookie1
> 
> Hope you enjoy today's chapter~!
> 
> -ASC ❀◐⌣◐

Kalon (N.) 

beauty that is more than skin deep. 

Laughter and endless chatter filled Taeyong’s and Taeil’s little, cramped dorm room as everyone gathered around the rustic dining table and began to eat happily. 

Kun bites his lips nervously as he takes a seat next to Taeil, trying to calm his erratic heartbeat. The floral scent of his cologne and the older’s bright smile when he was talking animatedly with Johnny isn’t helping. He felt almost at ease with familiarity when he heard Ten’s high-pitched laughter harmonize with Sicheng’s deep, melodious chuckle.

Keyword: Almost 

He never was good with meeting new people and making friends since he moved around so much and never stayed long enough. Either that or he was bullied for being the new kid. No matter how much he tried to forget the trauma of always being everyone’s punch at one point in his life, he just couldn’t get over his social anxiety. Kun should have known this was coming when he accepted to come to dinner, but his sleep-deprived self got the better of his brain and thoughts. 

The ugly feeling of bubbling anxiety raked through him sickeningly as he gnawed his lips roughly. Kun balances the fork gingerly through his fingers and apprehensively picks at his food as he observes everyone quietly. 

Taeyong was feeding Doyoung a piece of Kimchi while giving him puppy-lovesick eyes like he was the only thing that mattered in this world and keeping him on his feet. Johnny and Yuta were discussing one of their classes as Taeio giggled quietly when Johnny whined about how “he knew more about his cat than the quadratic formulas they have a quiz on this week”. Sicheng was showing something on his phone and Ten tried to move in closer to the former, only causing them to bump heads with each other. Kun softly smiled when Ten grumbled sullenly while rubbing his head as Sicheng was apologizing fervently at their now pouting friend. 

His waves of thoughts were interrupted when he felt someone tap on his shoulder. Kun turns his head quickly, only to be greeted by Taeil. His eyebrows were furrowed in concern and his lips formed a small frown as he looked into Kun’s chocolate-brown, doe-like eyes.   
“Kun? Are you okay? Why aren’t you eating”? 

Ah, he must have noticed the way Kun was drumming to the beat of nothing anxiously. Or the way the younger was biting his lips so hard that they were about to bleed. Or how he was eyeing the door frantically every time Taeil accidentally brush hands against him. Almost everyone at the table was looking at him in disquiet when Taeil spoke up. He notices how Sicheng inches closer to him and Ten’s hand slips over his gently from under the table. 

“S-Sorry. I’m fine”, Kun sputters out as his face turns bright-red against his burning cheeks, too embarrassed to even look at the lynx-eyed man staring into his soul. 

So he chooses to look straight in front of him, only to meet with his sharp yet gentle dark brown eyes piercing into him with slight disbelief. Taeyong pushes a dish of steaming. delicately-spiced pork belly toward him. He places his chopsticks and gingerly puts a piece on Kun’s plate. 

“Here Kun, here’s some pork belly. Just how you like it too”, Taeyong says warmly as he gently smiles at Kun. The latter widens his eyes comically and feels his chopsticks fall out of his grip slightly as he gasps silently at the grinning older. 

“H-How did you k-know”?

Oh, Taeyong knows. Very well in fact. 

Taeyong nonchalantly shrugs his shoulders as he shovels some rice into his mouth and pretends he has no idea. 

“Ten mentioned it while we were on practice day”. 

“But Hyung, I never even say that though”. 

Taeyong waves him off as he continues to eat his dinner, avoiding Doyoung and everyone’s confused glares in his direction. Taeil watches him quietly through his spoonful of rice as he looks at the two oddly. How did so many people in his friend group already know Kun so well and here he was trying to figure out who the real Kun was behind his well-built mask? He never once saw Taeyong and Kun even acknowledge each other, let alone talk to each other. 

Taeil turns to Kun and notices his plate wasn’t even filled up like everyone else's and the younger barely touched his food as the latter was talking to Ten and Sicheng. The younger’s hands were shaking, despite his impressive control of not showing he was a nervous wreck. Taeil’s heart sank a bit and the fatherly instinct that Johnny likes to tease him about instinctively took over him as he grabbed a spoon and scooped out some food to place on Kun’s plate. The younger looked over at him in shock, his doe-eyes making him look like an addled fawn. 

“You should eat more, Kun”, Taeil says not unkindly as he hesitantly puts his hand on Kun’s upper back and rubs his back in comforting strokes. Kun felt himself go numb for a moment as Taeil’s hands felt like fire dancing across his frozen stature. Taeil used to rub his back whenever the younger got upset or nervous about something. Kun’s cheeks fused to a pretty red for the second time that night as he took a hurried sip of water, trying to hide the blush rearing its ugly head. 

After a while and plenty of loud laughter and bickering, courtesy of Doyoung and Ten, later, everyone finished eating and were quietly talking to each other when Yuta raises his empty glass and hits his spoon against it. Everyone looks up with various expressions of confusion from levity to eloquence. Sicheng was looking everywhere else but the Blue-Purplish mullet flashing his bright, healing smile. 

“I have an announcement”. 

Everyone waits in anticipation. Kun notices Sicheng attempting to discreetly tell the Japanese male something through clenched teeth but failing to no avail while signaling to stop what he was about to say. What’s the worst thing Yuta could possibly say?

“I and Sicheng are dating”!

Kun chokes on water and almost spits it out all over Taeyong as he coughs violently, his lungs burning against his chest. 

Well fuck, he didn’t expect that. 

At all. 

“Kun, oh my god! Are you okay?”, Yuta asked worryingly as the Chinese male tried to speak up but instead was taken over by a fit of more brutal coughs and wheezing. Johnny rushed over and thumped the back of Kun’s back while Doyoung was coursing him to drink something to help him from hacking up his left lung. Kun felt a soft, cloth-like material placed in his hand and he turned quickly to see that Taeil handed him a tissue. 

“Here”, he says softly. 

Kun thanks him quietly by awkwardly nodding his head as his heart erratically beat against his already aflame lungs when Taeil’s fingers ghosted over the palm of his hands. 

What’s up with Kun being in the most compromising positions and scenarios in front of Taeil? The world really wants him to suffer as much as possible, huh? 

“I knew it! Our Sichengie was out getting it on with Yuta-Hyung. Look! You even surprised Kun!”, Ten teases the younger male as he slides down his chair with a bright-red face, looking like he wants to melt into the ground of Taeil and Taeyong dorm and stay there. Yuta just looked proud as the rest of them cheered and congratulated the newly-announced couple

Taeil narrows his eyes slightly when a flustered Sicheng tries to meekly apologize to a winded, gasping Kun and a howling Ten. 

“So Sicheng and Kun weren’t dating after all. They really are just best friends”, Taeil thought to himself. He quickly shook his head quickly when he felt a sudden relief flow through his body over the jealousy that he didn't even know he was holding back. 

Why does it matter? It’s not like he likes Kun in a romantic sense. 

“Sure, keep telling yourself that”, he heard a voice in his head annoyingly that eerily sounded like Yuta. 

Fast forward from all the chaos, everyone else settled into the cramped living room, quarreling over what kind of movie they wanted to watch while Taeyong and Kun started to clean up and clean the dishes. 

“Kun, you really don’t have to help! You are a guest after all”, Taeyong says obligingly as he rolls his sleeves up and slides on a pair of dusty pink dishwashing gloves. 

“Hyung, of course, I want to help. It's the least I can do to thank you for inviting us over for dinner. Besides, you look really tired”, the latter smiles politely, washing his hands and drying them against one of the rags hanging on the handle of the oven door. 

“Kun is right, Taeyong. Don’t pretend I didn’t notice you didn’t stay up all night working on your Dance Composition project”, a gentle voice chastising the flame-red male. Kun turns around to see Taeil leaning against the door frame, his leather jacket wrapped around his waist and pieces of hair of his dark-brown hair falling elegantly falling out of place on his forehead, his simple white shirt clinging onto his lean muscles. Kun swallowed the fluttering nervousness rising in his throat as he looked away. Taeil did not even do anything but he looked so effortlessly hot. 

“But Taeil-Hyung”, Taeyong whines like an over-large, angry kitten. If Kun wasn’t on the verge of a mental breakdown because of a certain someone, he would have even dared to coo at the contrasting image of normally strong-gazed Taeyong. 

“No Taeyong. Go on now before I call Doyoung. I’ll wash the dishes with Kun”, Taeil says as he dismisses a deflated Taeyong from the kitchen. Kun noticed a little smirk grow on Taeyong’s face when he looked Taeil and him up and down. He snapped back to reality when he heard the faucet of the sink turn on and the water running. 

“I don’t bite”, Taeil looks up at the dish he was rinsing off and smiles as he waves the younger male over teasingly, only causing Kun to blush. He silently slides on his gloves and gets to work on the rather large pile of dishes with Taeil. 

After they finished washing the dishes and placing everything back into their appropriate places, they both settled next to each other against the rustic, leather beanbag. They sat in an oddly comforting aura as they watched a sappy-romantic film Taeyong, much to everyone else’s dismay. Taeil’s heart jumped a bit when he felt Kun’s shoulder graze against his and he could feel Kun’s body heat from how close they were sitting to each other. He had to stop himself from taking his phone and taking a photo when he saw Kun mindlessly play with the petals of a bunch of sunflowers Taeyong placed on their little coffee table like a curious kitten. 

The dulling lights, soft background music of the movie, and the younger’s citrus and earthy-sage cologne was making him fuzzy on the inside and drowsy. He could his eyes drooping slowly as he succumbs to sleep, contentedly. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~ 

FLASHBACK

The gentle, billowy sunlight of Seoul kissed Taeil’s exposed cheeks as he walked through the huge maze of sunflowers dancing against the warm breeze. He clutched onto his little Doraemon messenger bag his mom gave him and his iPod he used to carry everywhere as his bare feet felt the chilly, moist soil and little pebbles. He felt himself getting more and more lost in what seemed like an endless web of flowers. He felt something fall on his head and he startled, looking frantically around but was greeted with more sunflowers. He clutched on tighter to his bag as he kept walking. 

After what seemed like hours of pushing past a tornado willows of blossoms, he found himself in front of a crystal-clear lake. The water rippled gently and he was able to see the vibrant koi fish swim. Pink, cherry-blossom petals fell gently onto the water and cradled against it. Right across it were a calm, empty green field and a contrasting busy road right behind it. He was about to step closer when he heard someone call his name, almost causing him to drop his iPod. 

‘Taiyi-Ge”!

He looks over to see a small boy with chocolate-brown hair and big doe-like eyes waving enthusiastically at him. The wind blew his bangs out of his eyes, revealing a little mole above his right eyebrow and his thick eyebrows. A small airplane backpack he was once holding was forgotten completely on the floor, a little airplane keychain swinging against the air. 

It was Kun. 

Taeil smiled and ran to the younger Chinese boy. He reaches his arms open and Kun embraces the elder at such a pace that Taeil stumbles back and brings them both to the ground. Kun giggles against the older’s chest as Taeil feels the former’s soft hair tickle against his chin. Taeil chuckled softly as he tightened his hands around his best friend. 

“Did you miss me that badly, Kunnie”, Taeil teases as he pinches his cheek lightly? 

Kun squeals in protest and pouts as he looks at his Ge with the utmost serious expression he could muster. Taeil thought he looked cute but god forbid he tells the younger one when he is giving him such an expression. 

“Of course I missed you! Gege, you were gone for, like, forever”!

“Kun, I only went to America for a month”. 

“A month too long, Taiyi-Ge”!

Taeil shakes him fondly as he helps Kun off the floor. They dust each other off as Kun grabs his slightly bigger hand. 

“Let’s go into the sunflower field, Gege”, He looked up at Taeil like he was the thing that was making the happiest at this moment with his big, chocolate-brown doe-like eyes. Taeil smiles and notices a little pink petal stuck on his hair and he gently removes it. The younger’s cheeks bore a pretty, dusty pink as he silently thanked the older. Taeil let him pull him and he only just grasped tighter into his hand. He was afraid to let go as they ran into the awaiting sunflower field, their child glee filling the air of the Seoul summer. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Taeil woke up in a sweat, panting rapidly as he looked around to see where he was. He was still at the dorm with everyone else in his dorm. He swallows and breathes rapidly as he tries to calm his heart down. He never had that dream before. It seems so real. Scarily real. He always had the same dream about the cherry blossom tree and the empty fields, but the sunflower field was different. It didn’t end with him getting hit by a bunch of flashing lights but rather running arm to arm with someone. A stranger. But not faceless like usual. The faceless stranger who called out his name had a name. A beautiful yet mysterious name. 

That was Kun. 

“What the hell”, Taeil thought to himself frantically. 

“Taeil-Ge? Are you okay?”, a soft voice called out to him and he felt someone vigorously shake his arm, snapping him out of his thoughts. Taeil looks up to see a worried Kun looking down at him with concern edging his winsome features. 

Taeil nods meekly as he apologies meekly, trying to push down the bile rising in his throat. Kun visibly relaxed and felt able to breathe. 

“Y-Yeah. B-Bad dream”, he stutters out as someone pushes a glass of water in his hand and a tissue to wipe his sweat. Taeyong was looking at him with an equally concerned look but something odd was about it. There was a hint of foreboding. Like he knew exactly what he was dreaming about. 

Taeyong pats his shoulder as he crouches next to him, his sharp dark-brown eyes searching his face, and finally decides to place his hand on Taeil’s forehead. 

“Do you feel ill, Hyung?”, Taeyong asked in a caring tone. Taeil shakes his head one more time as he sits up straighter. 

“I-I’m fine”, Taeil says with so much confidence that he was surprised at himself. Kun and Taeyong gave him looks of slight disbelief but opted to just leave the matter and take his word on it. 

Taeil tries to focus on his attention back to the movie that was almost at the end. The protagonist leaned in closer to the female lead until they were barely an inch apart from each other. He pushes her hair back against her ear gently before whispering “Thank you for being my best friend” before closing the gap between them. 

An outcry of boos and displeasure overshadow Taeyong’s cries of admiration and awes. Taeil chuckled at the other’s obviously disgusted reactions and he turned to see Kun’s when his heart skipped a beat.

The younger’s already big eyes were widened as they glittered by the light emitted from the TV and he tucked his legs into his arms. His mouth was open slightly, making an “o” shape as he looked so invested with the scene in front of him, quietly watching every single move of the protagonist. An airplane flew over the couple’s head as the movie came to an end. 

A thought came into Taeil’s brain and before he could stop himself, he blurted out to Kun. 

“Let’s be friends”!

God damn him and his inability to just shut up and keep his mouth closed. 

“W-What”? Kun quickly snaps his head toward him, shock raking through his body. D-Did Taeil just say what he thought he said? He hasn’t heard the older one say those words in 10 years. Not since he found him under the table in the library. 

“L-Let’s be friends Kun. Only if you want to though! No pressure!”, Taeil says embarrassingly, avoiding Kun’s eye contact while scratching the back of his neck. He was about to take back what he said and lock himself into his room for possibly the rest of his life when he felt a warm, dainty hand grab him and run its thumb across his wrist in comforting circles. Kun smiled brightly at him, completely opposite to the emotions tearing through him and threatening to burst out of him. 

“Of course, Taeil-Gege. Let’s be friends”. 

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

After saying goodbye to everyone and dropping Ten back at his dorm safety, Kun and Sicheng finally make their way back to their dorm. They walk shoulder to shoulder, huddling closer to each other to stay warm and matching their footsteps with each other on the cracked asphalt, their hair blowing vigorously in the frigid air. 

“Gege?”, Sicheng calls out to Kun quietly, with a slight hesitation and nervousness edging in his voice. 

“What’s up Sicheng?”, Kun looks at him and smiles gently, encouraging the younger to continue”.

“I’m sorry”. 

“About what, Chengie”?

“About not telling you about Yuta-Hyung and me. Also about what happened at dinner. We knew you get anxious in those situations and I didn’t even think for a second that you would be uncomfortable”, Sicheng mumbles softly and looks at Kun with such remorse that the latter felt his heart drop to the floor. 

“Oh, Sicheng it’s okay! Why do you think I would ever be mad at you for being in love? As long as you are happy, then I am okay. Really! And about what happened at dinner, don’t blame it on yourself. I agreed to it in the heat of the moment so don’t worry too much about it!”, Kun reassures the younger. 

“Besides, you already have enough teasing from Ten’s end”, Kun snickers when he hears Sicheng grumble embarrassingly about “he is the last person I wanted to know about my relationship”. 

They continued to walk to their dorm in a congenial quietness until Sicheng spoke up again, breaking the silence between them. 

“Kun-Ge”?

“Yeah”?

“Are you still in love with Taeil-Hyung”?

Kun grimaces as he chuckles bitterly, thinking about the words Taeil’s told him a few hours ago that a hurricane sensation in his stomach. He keeps his eyes down as he kicks a pebble on the sidewalk. He nods simply as he tries to keep his emotions at bay.

“Is it bad that I still am even though it was an empty, forgotten thing of the past? A promise from 10 years ago that was only relished today”?

“It’s never an empty promise if you think about it everyday Gege. Love for someone is more than skin-deep beauty that never dies away, even after 10 years. You know what they call that Kun-Ge”?

“What is it called, Sicheng”?

“Kalon”.

~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~✽✾✿❀❁❃❋~

Kun’s peaceful sleep was interrupted abruptly when heard a loud, scratching noise. Kun looked around his and Sicheng’s shared room. He was greeted by Sicheng’s empty, neatly made bed. Sicheng was probably already up. Kun lowers his feet and hisses at the sudden coldness and shivers as he stumbles into the living room, only to see Sicheng on top of the couch with a frying pan in his hand. 

Kun sometimes wonders why he doesn’t have normal friends. Like what in his past life did he do to become best friends and roommates with fucking Rapunzel?

“Let me guess, you heard the noise too and that's why you are on the couch holding my favorite frying pan right”, Kun sighs with a deadpan expression across his face. 

“Yup”, Sicheng says matter-of-factly, emphasizing the “p” exaggeratingly. 

They both turn when they hear the scratching again as Sicheng shrieks and grips onto the pan tighter, rising it higher above his head. The RA is totally going to have their asses on a muse when they see the scratches on the door. Kun rolls his eyes as he inches closer to the door gingerly. Then they heard a noise they didn’t expect to hear. 

“K-K-Kun-Ge, was that a meow”?

Kun frowns as he scratches his head. He was also equally, if not more confused. How in the world would a cat get on the 4th floor of their residential building? 

Kun opens the door and looks down to see an aqua-eyed Siamese kitten meow melodiously at him and pawing at his leg as Sicheng gasps behind him. Kun looks at all sides to make sure nobody can see them before he courses the little feline into his arms and carries it inside. 

“Ge, this can get us in trouble”, Sicheng says with panic as Kun sets the little kitten on the floor. 

“I know, but we can’t just leave it in the hallway”, Kun exclaims as he looks at the black and white kitten rub its head against the former’s leg, and purr contently, wrapping its tail around Kun’s ankle. Sicheng crouches and gingerly places his fist in front of the feline. The kitten looks at him with its aqua-eyes before it edges closer to him in curiosity. Sicheng felt its whiskers tickle against his fist as its little nose pressed against it and purred, allowing Sicheng to pet it. 

“It’s so cute, Ge”, Sicheng coo as Kun sighed. Kun always loved cats and actually really wanted to own one once he was out of college but they could seriously get in some huge shit if they are caught with one, let alone raising one in their dorm room. 

Suddenly a frantic knocking could be heard from their door as Kun frantically looked between the sound and Sicheng’s frozen stature with the meowing feline. 

“Go hide! Quickly!”, Kun hisses as Sicheng scrambles into their shared bedroom while cradling the little kitten in his arms. 

Kun takes a deep breath and opens the door, only to be greeted by a distressed Taeil in a simple, tucked in black and black-ripped jeans, his dark-brown hair sticking up in different directions as if he was running his hand through it stressfully multiple times. The round glasses sit slightly askew on his face as he pants with his hands on his knees. 

“Kun! I-I’m so sorry for disturbing this early in the morning but did you see Louis”?, Taeil wheezes out. 

Kun tilts his head in confusion and furrows his eyebrows in slight bewilderment. He never saw the normalcy, docile, composed Moon Taeil look so panicked and on the verge of a meltdown in his entire life. 

Yes, even from 10 years ago. 

“Who’s Louis? I don’t think they live on this floor, Ge”.

“L-Louis isn’t a human. H-He’s a cat I rescued”, Taeil trails off as nervously bites his lips and avoids eye contact with Kun, opting to pick at the skin of his fingers. 

Kun looks at him in a frozen state as a familiar shock runs through his body. He is now convinced the universe is pulling a huge prank on him and keeps on falling for it. How did it even remember a conversation that Kun had with Taeil about getting married and owning a Siamese cat named Louis? 

“A-Ah, Louis was scratching at our door and we let him in. He’s in our bedroom with Sicheng”, Kun says as he watches the elder deflate visibly in relief. 

"I won't tell anyone, don't worry", Kun adds in a hushed whisper. 

“God, that mischievous kitten is going to make me grow hair by the time we graduate”, Taeil mumbles as rubs his head and tiredly looks at Kun, his next sentence getting stuck in his throat when he sees the younger. His heartbeat erratically against his chest and he felt like the wind was directly taken out of his lungs. 

Kun looked soft, lacking better words that Taeil could think of. He had puffy eyes and slightly, drunk-red cheeks. His auburn-red hair was messy like he just rolled out of bed. His overly large shirt engulfed him and made him look smaller than he actually was. His voice told another story. Damn, Kun’s morning voice was making something in Taeil somersault violently. He mentally shakes his head as he smiles gratefully at the sleepy younger. 

“Thanks for taking care of Louis. But before I go, I was wondering if you have anything going on right now”?

“I have Music Psychology at 2PM, Why”?

“Well, I was wondering if you wanted to work on the project. I figured that while I was looking for Louis, I would ask you in person instead”, Taeil says shyly as he laughs awkwardly and scratches the back of his neck embarrassingly. 

Kun only just noticed the large guitar case sitting on top of his backpack resting on both the elder’s shoulders. 

“Yeah, of course, let me grab my stuff”, Kun said and was about to grab his stuff when he felt Taeil grab his wrist. Kun looks back in shock as Taeil tries not to burst out in laughter, snickering discreetly behind his hand. If Kun didn't know any better, the distress in him turned into pure insanity. 

“What! Why are you laughing at me”, Kun whines as Taeil snorts. 

“Kun, you aren’t exactly wearing “appropriate” attire to be walking across campus right now”, Taeil teases. 

Kun didn’t understand and looked at the elder with confusion until he looked down and immediately wanted to jump off the highest building on campus and come back to haunt Sicheng for not telling him he was literally standing in an old, over-enlarged ripped white shirt and a pair of boxers. 

In 

Front 

Of 

The 

Moon 

Taeil

A violent blush swallows Kun’s as he sputters in embarrassment. All he wants is the ground to swallow him alive when he notices Taeil look him up and down with a smirk while he is scanning him. 

“C-C-Come on in, I- Oh, come on! It’s not even that funny, Ge!-Let me get ready, and then we can go”, Kun groans out as he tries to cover up the little dignity he barely had left and usher Taeil inside by the arm. 

Taeil smiles as he steps inside and laughs as he watches Kun stumble away and trip over a little table, cursing quietly. 

“Stay right there! I’ll be right back Ge”, Kun yells over his shoulder as he hits the door clumsily before disappearing into his bedroom. 

Taeil snickers when he heard someone yelling in Mandarin followed by some meek apologies, only to end the chaotic orchestra with Louis’s meows echoing through the thin walls. 

“Cute”, Taeil thought fondly and bit his lips to suppress the smile before a realization hit him like a brick. A sense of forbidding took over the very small part of him buzzing in romantic interest for the younger, Chinese male. 

“Fuck, I think I might be in love with Kun”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this while watching "Among Us" streams help
> 
> Hello Everyone!
> 
> I hope everyone is doing okay and staying healthy and safe! We are officially in 2021!!!!! I know its been a while since I posted a chapter and I have a few reasons why.
> 
> 1) some of you may know that I am a freshmen in college so I been packed with work and I go back on campus next week so I been trying to get ready to go back :( So its been really hard to stay consistent with posting and I want to really apologize for that.   
> 2) I was preparing some other projects behind the scenes that have already been posted or in process so please also look forward to that.   
> 3) I have to be honest, there was a point where I suffered some real writers really got burned out writing this fic and I wasn't happy at all with what I wrote and it got to the point where I either took some time away and work in other writings besides this fic, give you mediocre work that I was never proud of, or just delete it all together and pretend it never existed. I felt that my emotions were portrayed almost too much, like you can see the stress radiating off of my writing. 
> 
> The good news is I chose the first path and now I am more than ever inspired to push through and finish this hell of a journey I started with you. I never want to leave any of you on a cliffhanger :) 
> 
> Because my updates are so irregular because of school, Idk when the next chapter will be uploaded or the next oneshot, or mini project quite yet. But rest assure I am working on them whenever I can and that I am on my social medias if you want to contact me that way as well. 
> 
> Thank you so much got being so patient me and giving me so much support! As I am still learning to become a better writer, if you have any thoughts, opinions, or constructive criticism! As always, I love you so much, drink some water, take care of yourselves and I'll see yall in the next one!
> 
> -ASC ❀◐⌣◐

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Everyone! I hope everyone is doing okay!
> 
> Oh my god why was this so long?!? I am completely new to this and this is my first every fanfic ever so constructive criticisms and tips would be greatly appreciated. I am so sorry if this is really bad :( I got this idea at 4 am and my last brain cell decided to make it into a story lol. K U N I L R I S E.
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading my story!  
> \- ASC ❀◐⌣◐


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